The Legend of Zelda: Lamia's Revenge
by Kabeiroi
Summary: Seventeen years after Ganondorf's defeat, his demonic daughter returns and seeks revenge. As Link fights her monster army, he is joined by a portal traveling warrior named Vanessa, who is cursed with the prophecy of her own death at lamia's claws.
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTES: All Legend of Zelda characters are © Nintendo. Lamia Carna, Tartara, Vanessa Valeska Ardea, Saanabora, Adonica, Didrika, Irk, Jona, Zared, Yashaki, Yashakia, Undead, Cibola, Bawaadi-Yin, Beoudi-Yin, Ayo, Uta, Phillipa, the Orcus Poltergeist, Bryna, Lilu, Dis, Ewain, Bonnie, Balder, Deiphoba, Mezentius, Lord Gryph, the Skorpyons, the Scyllas, the kappas, the Zote hounds, Ephiny, Saturnalia, the jenii, Mount Stygis, Makare-Yin, Tatchi, Severin, the Sheikdom, Awen, Troy, Desdeomna, Nike, Faustine, Meredith, © Chiyome, 2009.

Laura, Linkchepto, Shurai, Habn, Era & Azeril © Laura Belmont.

This is a REALLY OLD story—we're talking ten years at least, during the heyday of Nintendo 64 and Ocarina of Time. I still don't know exactly how I came up with the concept, but it was fun to write. I fixed up Vanessa's character to hopefully make her less Mary Sueish (how come nobody warned me? I didn't notice it until about a month after I wrote it & was rereading it. It was one of those moments where you stare at it for a while, blink a couple of times, then roar, "D'OH!".)

I took out a few characters and rewrote a few bits, but for the most part the story's the same as it was when I posted it. Hopefully it's not too convoluted. Please read & review!

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA:

LAMIA'S REVENGE

By Chiyome

CHAPTER 1

Link awoke with a grunt.

For a moment, he stared up at the beams supporting his tree house home. He didn't want to get up.

But he had to. After all, today was his seventeenth birthday--again--and Saria had been plotting and planning his party for weeks.

Link sat up and rubbed his eyes. Sunlight slipped through his window and splayed across his face, causing his reddish-blond hair to shine. Outside, he heard Epona whinny, and Candida, his Lon Lon cow, cry for their breakfast.

"Okay, okay, I'm up," he grumbled, stretching his arms and wincing before standing. He hadn't slept that well the night before.

Dressing quickly and deciding to wash up later, Link jogged out of his house and hopped down the short ladder, landing into the pasture he had fenced off for his animals.

Epona nickered happily and galloped over to him, snuffling first at his cheek, then at his pockets.

"Okay, okay, okay!" Link laughed. He pulled out a handful of horse treats Malon had given him, and Epona quickly licked them out of his palm.

As Epona munched contentedly, Link dragged out bales of hay and spread them along the watering brook. Epona nudged him playfully with her long head, but Candida only shook her boxy head disdainfully. As she passed Link, she slapped him across the stomach with her tail, as if to say, "It's about time!"

"Yeah, same to you," Link muttered, patting her hip. Vaulting the fence again, Link sighed to himself, then watched as the Kokiri villagers staggered out of their homes, still sleepy. When Saria didn't appear, Link shrugged to himself; she must have been in the Lost Woods again.

He trudged up the stairs to his home, three times bigger now than it had been when he was ten. When he wasn't fighting Ganondorf or his minions, Link added on to his home. Princess Zelda had speculated that he must have inherited woodworking from his parents.

That thought stopped him short. His parents? He didn't remember them; all he knew was that his father had died in the wars and his mother had succumbed to the wounds she had received. Link was taken in by the guardian of Kokiri Forest, the Great Deku Tree, and was sent to live among the Kokiri as one of them.

Suddenly miserable, Link turned on the balcony and looked out over the trees to Hyrule Castle. He had searched the birth records there for his parents, but Ganondorf had inexplicably destroyed them all. There was no record of his family. Everything else he had heard through word of mouth, and little of it seemed true.

Every year, on his birthday, Link thought about this. He couldn't help it, though it depressed him to no end. He didn't have a blood family like the others, and he secretly feared that he might never have one.

He leaned on the balcony rail and watched as Saria appeared at the edge of the Lost Woods. It had broken his heart when he discovered that a Hylian and a young Sage could never form a relationship. But it had surprised him-and hurt him even more-to learn that Zelda, who had completed her Sagehood years ago, was going to marry Prince Zared of Yashakia, the kingdom across the Mountain Ocean.

Link had kept a straight face during that announcement. Zelda had looked as though she would cry, but Link assured her that it was all right, Zared was a good man, and she needed this alliance for Hyrule.

Besides … Link grimaced: he had his own problems with Ruto.

"Hey! Link!"

Surprised, Link glanced up just in time to see a tiny, bluish-white form zip down from the sky.

"Navi!" Link said, laughing as his former fairy hugged him around the neck and kissed his cheek.

"Happy birthday!" she said ecstatically, and Link smiled ruefully; she was more excited about this than he was.

Navi grinned, then fluttered up to the top of his head, her favorite place to sit. She flipped down over his forehead to smile at him. "So, birthday boy. How'd you like the gradual growth process to manhood? Or didjya prefer to be warped?"

"This's fine with me, thank you. Kind of weird, though."

"Tell me about it." Navi settled back into his hair. "So, when's the party?"

"Right after breakfast with the others."

"Y'know, Link, I would've brought you something …"

"That's all right, Navi. I really don't need anything anyways."

"Well, I think you deserve something … other than, say, broken bones and punctured organs."

"Ha, ha." Link smiled; Navi had developed an attitude since they last fought Ganondorf together.

"Hey, check it out," said Navi, sitting up, "Here comes Saria and the Hoard."

She was right. Below them, Saria and her fairy Nera were racing a troupe of tiny Kokiri babies to Link's house.

The Forest Sage skidded to a halt at the front of his tree. She grinned and waved up at them. "Yahoo! Happy birthday, Link!" Saria shouted, and the young Kokiri soon took up the wish, sounding like a gaggle of Cuccos.

"Thanks, Saria!" Link returned. He and Navi hurried down to greet their friend. A soon as Link stepped off the last stair, he was immediately attacked and knocked over by the children, all eager for hugs.

"What are you feeding them, Saria? They're strong as Lon Lon cows!" Navi chortled as she fluttered over Link and the kids. "This is so cute. You should see yourself, Link."

Link laughed. It never ceased to amaze him how these baby Kokiri loved him so much.

"Hang on, kids!" he grunted, then, with some effort, managed to stagger to his feet. The kids swung from his arms, legs, shoulders and neck, all screaming gleefully.

With one hand, Link supported baby Adonica, Saria's youngest niece. With the other, he caught the Sage by the elbow and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks for bringing the Hoard with you."

Saria giggled, then gently took Adonica off of his neck. "I can't help it. I swear, they're all Foreshadowers; I didn't even say where I was going and they all followed me."

Link just smiled, then slowly lifted his arms up into the air. Mido's three-year-old twin sons and daughter shrieked as they dangled in the air.

"Okay, guys," Link said, trying to be stern and not laugh. But it was difficult; he had a toddler on his back that was intent on burrowing into his ears. "It's time for you to get off now."

"No!" they shouted, grinning toothily up at him. "Carry us!"

"I can never say 'no' to you guys," Link grumbled, but he still laughed. Feeling as though he were weighted down with the Iron Boots, Link lumbered across the field, fighting to keep his balance. Navi flew around him in dizzying circles, warning the children against falling.

Finally, Link came to a tuft of flowers. Like Epona when the flies were too much for her, Link shook them all off.

"Easy, guys!" he cried when they squealed and flung dirt and grass at him.

Behind him, Saria laughed. "Breakfast is in fifteen minutes. Are you going to survive, Link?"

"For the love of Nayru, I hope so!"

Navi was laughing so hard that she was rolling in the air. "Aw, this kills me! Man, Link you'd make a great dad."

"Yeah," Didrika, Saria's second niece threw in. "If he didn't act so wimpy around girls!"

"Didrika!" Saria scolded, "That wasn't very-"

"WIMPY?!!" Link roared, and Didrika pretended to scream in fright. Link charged after her, shouting, "I'll show you who's wimpy!!"

"Tickle torture!" Navi cried, racing after them.

Link eventually caught up with his midget insulter. He grabbed her and tossed her up into the air until she yelled "Deku Tree!!", a sign of surrender.

As he played with the children, Link looked up at Navi and asked, "Navi, were you serious when you said I'd be a good dad?"

"Of course I was! Why do you ask?"

"Ooh--_oof!" _Link grunted as he was bowled over by two mighty nine year olds. He faked a growl, sending the boys screaming back to their safety area. "I don't know-I just … it's been bugging me. I want to have a family-gotchya!" Link tagged a short opponent, then quickly leapt away. "But I've never had a good father figure-let alone a real one-and I don't know how good I'd be at parenting."

"Whoa, Linky," Navi said, bagging around a sapling and zipping after him again. "You've gotta get married first."

He chuckled, then ducked around a bush to avoid a trio of children. "I'm aware of that …."

"You're aware of it, but you never talk to any girls."

"Well--" Link dove over into his safety area. "I know … but … I can't marry Saria until she completes her Sagehood. That won't be for another ten years or so. Malon's getting married in the spring, and … and _Zelda …"_

Link fell silent. Sympathetic, Navi landed on his knee. "Don't worry, Link. You'll meet someone. Just remember that proverb, 'Stop chasing love …'"

"'And love will come willingly,'" Link finished. He nodded. "I know. I just can't stand being alone like this anymore."

"Poor Link," Navi sighed. She hesitated; she knew better than to say her name, but Navi just couldn't resist.

"What about Ruto?" Navi asked slyly.

"DON'T EVEN!! DON'T EVEN _GO_ THERE!!!"

Navi laughed. "I'm only joking!"

"I don't care! That woman's psycho! You said so yourself!"

"I know, I know! I just love seeing the look on your face when I say her name!"

Link was about to snap back, when suddenly, Navi's eyes flew open in terror, and she sprang into the air, shrieking, "LOOK OUT!!!!"

Link spun around, half expecting a Wolfos or something. Instead, about eighty Kokiri kids lunged from behind the bushes and pinned Link down with their combined weight.

"Agh!" he cried.

"Ha!" a boy laughed, and he brandished a pointy Deku Stick like it was the Fairy Sword. He jabbed it at Link's face. "Do you yield?"

Link smiled. "I know when I'm beaten."

Thinking themselves victorious, the kids began to clamber off. As soon as he was freed, Link took off like a crazed Poe across the streams, shouting, "And I haven't been beaten yet!"

Finally, Saria called to them that breakfast was ready. Link hurriedly washed his sticky, kiss-covered face in a stream, with Navi gibbing him the whole time about it

He sat at the head of a long table made of half of a Deku Tree. After his friends and their families sang a song to antagonize him about his age, Link broke a Deku nut in half evenly. The kids were excited; that meant anything he wished would come true!

Link doubted that.

His birthday passed pleasantly, somewhat. Mido, who was still irritated with Link after all these years, didn't wish Link a happy birthday, and yet didn't make any rude comments during the breakfast. "The best present of all," Navi said, and Link only laughed.

Saria later shooed him off when he offered to clear the table. As Link and Navi headed back to his house, Navi grabbed the tip of one of his ears. "Wasn't that nice, Link? Just wait; your wife won't even let you _stand_ if you don't offer to help her clean after supper!"

Link dressed in the new green tunic Saria and the Twins made for him, saddled Epona and galloped out of the Forest.

The grass was still dewy as Epona ripped across Hyrule Field towards Lon Lon Ranch. The mare whinnied happily as she trotted through the gate and saw her former owner, Malon, race to the entrance of the Ranch.

Epona slowed and nuzzled Malon as Link and Navi leapt down. Giggling, red-haired Malon fairly flung herself at Link. "Happy birthday, Link!"

"Thanks, Malon. Where's your dad?"

Malon arched an incredulous eyebrow at him. Link and Navi both sighed. "Asleep."

"Drifted off to Lala Land right after he fed the horses," Malon said, smiling slightly, "That was four hours ago! I _told_ him you were coming!"

Link grinned. "It's all right. I'll wake him up before I go."

Malon led Link and Navi behind the barn, where the ranch hand Ingo (despite his being 'changed', he still seemed rude as ever), was having a heated argument with Malon's fiancé, Balder.

Link offered both a hello. Ingo only snorted, and Balder shrugged apologetically.

"What's going on?" asked Navi.

Malon shook her head. "Ingo's mad that Phillipa is going to be sold soon."

"You mean Epona's sister?" Link asked.

"Uh-huh." Malon shrugged with one shoulder. "No one aside from you or me can ride her. She's too wild."

Balder quickly ended his fight with Ingo and hurried over to Malon's side. He shook Link's hand and congratulated him on his birthday. Malon then insisted that Link and Navi stay for a few minutes and have her special honey mead while she got Link's presents.

Link obliged--he didn't want to her to mope later. Malon handed him three parcels; a new comb for Epona's mane, a blanket, and a card that stated Link was free to come by any time and get 50% off a new pony.

At the bottom of the certificate, Malon had scrawled 'PHILLIPA'. Link smirked. "Malon, I don't

know …"

"Oh, please?" she begged. "Phillipa might be whipped if any one else buys her!"

Navi elbowed Link in the temple, and Epona gave him a hard push with her nose. Link chuckled and tucked the certificate inside his tunic. "I'll think about it."

Link placed the gifts in Epona's saddlebags, managed to wake Talon just long enough to say 'Hi', then hugged Malon and shook Balder's hand again before setting off for the palace.

******************************************************************************

Hyrule Castle Town Market was packed, as usual. Link had to tell Epona to go slowly so she wouldn't trample anyone.

One bad thing about the crowd was that it was hard to skirt around Link's fans. Everyone from bright-eyed little boys to hysterical teenage girls tried to gather around him or follow wherever he went. One lunatic had caught Navi in a bottle as a souvenir. The little fairy screamed and swore until Link gave the boy his autograph in return for Navi.

With this knowledge, Navi buried deeper under Link's hat. He smiled as he heard her mutter, "Stupid little freaks … don't know what a real hero he is … can't these preteens go play with make-up or something …?"

The Hyrule guards grinned as they spotted Epona racing towards them, and they waved Link through the gates. That always made Link and Navi laugh; for the seven years that Link was sent back to Hyrule to live, he had been forced to sneak around the same guards. If he were ever caught, he would be tossed out like yesterday's trash. Epona skidded to a halt at the foot of the castle steps. Link and Navi raced up the stairs and paused outside the door to catch their breaths.

"Straighten your cap!" Navi hissed, "Link, promise me you won't do anything embarrassing like you did with that Atlantian ambassador?"

Link frowned. "Hey, I was justified; he wouldn't keep his hands off of Zelda."

"She could have kicked his butt. And besides, did you _have_ to dump the pudding on his head?"

Link decided that he didn't have to answer that. He hammered on the doors with the heavy brass knockers, and promptly, a maid opened the doors and greeted him.

Knowing the layout of the castle pretty well by now, Link and Navi proceeded on to the reception hall. There, Link was hardly surprised to see a young, regal woman, or her tall Sheikah attendant there, waiting for him.

"Link!" Zelda cried, racing to him and leaping into his arms for a hug. "Happy birthday!"

Link laughed and embraced his dear friend. "Thanks, Princess."

Zelda smiled and stepped aside as Impa approached him. "Link, good to see ye again lad. Happy birthday."

"Thanks, Impa," Link replied, shaking her hand. "No hugs from you?"

Zelda laughed. "Come on, Link," she said, her voice as light as air and lovely as Ocarina notes. "I want you to meet Zared."

'_Do I have to?'_ Link wondered silently, but he allowed himself to be dragged into the dining hall.

There, seated at the dining table, sat an incredibly tall, dark man sat, drinking wine from a goblet. The man glanced up and smiled when he saw Zelda. Link stiffened; that was the smile of a man who was in love.

Damn.

"Zared," Zelda said, taking the man's huge paw--uh, _hand_--into her own and leading him to Link. "I'd like you to meet Link, the Hero of Time. Link, this is Prince Zared of Yashakia."

"The kingdom across the Mountain Ocean," Link said with a nod, accepting the man's outstretched hand. "Yes, I've heard."

"I finally meet you, Sir Link," said Zared, "I've heard many tales about you and your fairy."

Navi leaned close to Link's ear and muttered, "I'm surprised that he can hear _anything_ at _that_ height."

Zared, not hearing her, went on. "Wow … you _do_ look like the Hero of Time from our Texts."

"Texts?"

"Our book of prophecies."

He looked like the Hero of Time … Link could hear those same words being said by the once mysterious Sheik seven years ago in Magick Time.

Link tried to smile. "I don't know what to say--"

"Better say something to make him happy," Navi warned, "or King Didongo here'll eat ya."

Link swatted the fairy away.

Zelda, thankfully, broke the awkward silence. "Link, there's still some time before dinner. Would you like to open your presents?"

"Presents?" Link repeated.

"PRESENTS!!" Navi cried gleefully. "Link, you're getting loaded! Let's go!"

Excusing herself from Zared and Impa, Zelda took Link by the hand and led him out of the hall. Once they were out of an earshot, Zelda giggled, hefted her skirt up a bit, and broke into a run. Link grinned and raced after her. That's one thing he loved about her; when there were no evil sorcerers or crazed elder sisters with firepowers breathing down her neck, Zelda was carefree.

Link caught up with her, and they both skidded out onto a balcony overlooking the garden that he had first met Zelda in.

They stood there, panting and laughing. Zelda waved her hand to shush him, then quickly smoothed her hair.

"We have other presents, Link," Zelda said, "but this one I really want you to open right now."

The princess crossed the balcony to a potted plant in the far corner. She bent down, then removed a large parcel wrapped in brown paper. She smiled, and handed it to Link. "Here Link … happy birthday."

Link had been expecting a new book--Zelda always gave him really neat books that came in handy during his battles. Seeing this, Link's eyes widened and he began to hastily tear the paper off, with Navi on his shoulder, straining to see.

Finally, Link dropped the wrapping, and stared in amazement at a sword sheathed in a gold and red leather sheathe.

Link gripped the gold dragon handle and drew the sword out. Sunlight blasted off of its silver razor edge, and Link had to squint in order to study the intricate designs.

Etched in either side of the blade was a panel from the Legacy of Bryna, a legendary Sheikah warrior who had protected Hyrule and saved the Sheikahs when Din's evil brother, Dis, attempted to take over the world.

The panel showed Bryna deep in combat with two dragons that flew through the air fluidly, almost like silk ribbons in the breeze. Tiny rubies and emeralds gleamed in the dragons' eyes. Sapphires shown in Bryna's eyes.

"It's--it's a Sheikah sword," Link stammered, "Princess, this is so rare--it must have cost you thousands of rupees!"

Princess Zelda smiled. "No, I had it kept in the private vault. It's one of the only things that Ganondorf didn't take or destroy."

"It's beautiful … thank you, Princess."

"You're welcome, Link."

Link smiled as he sheathed the sword, but something in his eyes must have betrayed him. Zelda looked at him curiously. "Link, what's wrong?"

He sighed. "It's nothing …"

"It's something," Navi said with a roll of her eyes. She fluttered away, saying, "If it'll make you feel better, I'll leave you two alone."

"What's going on?" Zelda asked, looking worried.

Link sighed again and shrugged. "Princess, you know that I'm never happy on my birthday …"

"Are you still worried about that? Oh Link, I promise, we'll search the Hylian birth records again--"

"No, it's not that, really … I'm … just … so …" Link raised his eyes to Zelda's, and drew in a ragged breath. _"Alone …"_

"Oh Link …"

"I have friends and people I love, I know. But I feel like there's another part of me that's been ripped away and it's lost somewhere. And it's not here, not in Hyrule … and I don't know if I'll ever find it."

Zelda bowed her head. "Link, I'm so sorry …"

"Don't be," he said. "Zelda--Princess, you've lucked out. I don't want you to go into this marriage feeling sorry for me."

Zelda blinked, her giant blue eyes glassy. She cupped his hands in her own. "Link, I can feel that there are going to be more people in your life. Several more girls, in fact."

Link cocked an eyebrow curiously.

Zelda blinked. "And one could be a perfect match for you if you accept her. Who she is, I don't know. And I don't know when you'll meet her."

Link shrugged. "Well, it at least gives me _something _to look forward to."

Zelda laughed. "Come on, let's have some cake."

A real smile broke Link's face. "Sounds good to me."

******************************************************************************

A thunderstorm broke that night just as Link and Navi returned to Kokiri Forest. Link had enough time to say good night to Saria before the rain really started to come down. So hard, in fact, that Navi decided against flying back to the Deku Tree Sprout. Link made a makeshift bed for her out of two of his old hats in a basket, then retired himself.

But in his seventeen years of life, both before the Great Deku Tree called him, and after he had defeated Ganondorf for the last time, Link had never had nightmares as terrifying as the one he had that night.

He dreamt that the air and sky shone red and black with flames and soot. Hyrule Field was parched and the thick grass vainly tried to take root. Lake Hylia was completely dry, and dead bodies of Zoras laid in the dry mud and sand.

Kokiri Forest was wasted, all of the trees burnt or shredded, every home destroyed. Vultures circled overhead as strange demons loped through the charred woods, stalking Saria and her nieces.

Link shuddered and turned. The dream shifted. All of the sages' temples were in ruins, completely eradicated. Kakariko Village was gone. All of the graves in the graveyard had been disturbed, and furious, wailing Poes and spirits drifted out over the burnt husks of houses.

Death Mountain erupted, completely swallowing the Queen of Evil's Tower. The Gorons were all dead, either eaten by a dragon or burnt alive by the rushing lava.

Redead shambled through Lon Lon Ranch and most of the Field. Stalfos hunted through Hyrule Market Town, and Moblins easily held off a ragtag force of Hylians that had launched a counterattack.

His sight twisted, and Link found himself on top of Hyrule Castle, Navi and Zelda cowering behind him as a monster unlike any Link had seen before raced towards him. It looked like …

_Ganon?_

It screamed, lifting a huge, taloned hand. _"You took my father from me!!"_

Before the creature could bring that paw smashing down on them, a new voice cut through the howling wind and snarling thunder. The dragon wheeled around, and Link blinked as he saw Impa stagger to her feet--

_Wait!! That wasn't Impa!!_

A strange woman swayed on her feet, covered in her own blood and dragging her sword by her side. Link realized with a start that she was dying on her feet.

The woman stumbled, but forced herself to stand. She snarled at the dragon, and held something out.

The demon went berserk, shrieking and spinning around, tearing for the woman and giving Link enough time to send Zelda down into the castle.

But he looked back, screaming in horror and denial as the girl was battered down, then grabbed in the monster's jaws. The young woman weakly tried to pry the fangs away, but she just didn't have the strength.

Like a furious Wolfos with its hapless prey, the dragon began to shake the life out of the girl. It threw her to the roof violently, then swung its hand, throwing her into a battlement. The woman couldn't even lift her head.

Link turned and tore across the roof towards the dragon as it slapped the girl again. The woman cried out in terror as she flipped over the battlement. Link was amazed to see her catch the edge and hang on--

The dragon swung its fist, and the battlement shattered. Link's eyes locked with the petrified eyes of the warrior as she was flung off of the castle--

"_NO!!!" _Link screamed, sitting bolt right up and his eyes flying open in terror.

Navi squawked in fright and toppled out of her basket. She peeked over the edge. "Link, whatzthematta?!"

"I--I …" Link stammered. He wiped his face. He was covered in sweat, but he was cold. "I had a nightmare."

"Nightmare?" Navi repeated in disbelief. "Jeez, Link, you haven't had any of those in fourteen years!"

"I know! I know!" Link flipped off his bed sheets and stood. He crossed his room to the shaving mirror in the far corner. His face was white. He looked as frightened as he felt.

"Link?"

He turned to face her. "Something bad's gonna happen, Navi," he said, "I know it."


	2. Chapter 2

AUTHOR'S NOTES: All Legend of Zelda characters are © Nintendo. Lamia Carna, Tartara, Vanessa Valeska Ardea, Saanabora, Adonica, Didrika, Irk, Jona, Zared, Yashaki, Yashakia, Undead, Cibola, Bawaadi-Yin, Beoudi-Yin, Ayo, Uta, Phillipa, the Orcus Poltergeist, Bryna, Lilu, Dis, Ewain, Bonnie, Balder, Deiphoba, Mezentius, Lord Gryph, the Skorpyons, the Scyllas, the kappas, the Zote hounds, Ephiny, Saturnalia, the jenii, Mount Stygis, Makare-Yin, Tatchi, Severin, the Sheikdom, Awen, Troy, Desdeomna, Nike, Faustine, Meredith, © Chiyome, 2009.

Laura, Linkchepto, Shurai, Habn, Era & Azeril © Laura Belmont.

This is a REALLY OLD story—we're talking ten years at least, during the heyday of Nintendo 64 and Ocarina of Time. I still don't know exactly how I came up with the concept, but it was fun to write. I fixed up Vanessa's character to hopefully make her less Mary Sueish (how come nobody warned me? I didn't notice it until about a month after I wrote it & was rereading it. It was one of those moments where you stare at it for a while, blink a couple of times, then roar, "D'OH!".)

I took out a few characters and rewrote a few bits, but for the most part the story's the same as it was when I posted it. Hopefully it's not too convoluted. Please read & review!

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA:

LAMIA'S REVENGE

By Chiyome

CHAPTER 2

Epona thundered across Hyrule Field at an amazing clip, driven on faster by the recognition of her master's fear.

Link leaned forward in his saddle and whipped Epona a little harder. Come on, he had to get to Zelda! She must have had that same dream!

Epona snorted angrily and vaulted a stone wall. She was going as fast as she could.

With Navi tucked safely under his cap, Link rode hard to the castle. He shouted for people to clear the way as Epona rushed by. She wasn't about to slow down for anybody.

As soon as they reached the foot of the palace steps, Link leapt out of the saddle and Navi zipped out from under his hat. Together, they raced up the steps and Link reached for the heavy knocker-

The door whipped open and a blanched Zelda appeared. "Link!"

"Princess!" Link gasped, grabbing her by the shoulders. "I had--did you--?"

"Yes! So did Impa! Oh, Link, come with me to the balcony!"

Link ran after her, feeling all the more worried. Zelda hadn't looked like that since the day Impa had spirited her out of Hyrule, away from Ganondorf.

Panting, Link and Navi skidded out onto the balcony, still slick with last night's rains.

Nervously running a hand through her hair, Zelda turned to Link. "Link, all of the Sages had some sort of nightmare with the dragon and that woman. Something's coming--"

"Gee, y'think?" Navi snapped. "I dunno about you guys, but this just _screams _of Ganondorf."

"Oh!" Zelda cried, clapping her hands over her mouth. "Don't say that, Navi!"

"Wait, we're missing something here," Link interrupted. "Who or _what_ is this thing? Why did it say that we took its father? And that girl … what's her deal?"

"I don't know," Zelda said with an exasperated shrug, an unladylike thing for a princess to do. "But something about her seems familiar to me, like I've heard of her race or something--"

"Race?"

"She wasn't a Hylian, Link."

"Uh, left in the dark here," Navi said, waving a hand around. "Link never told me what this girl looked like."

Link glanced at her briefly. "Like us, basically, but …"

"Her ears," Zelda started, "and her eyes …"

"Is she a Gerudo?" Link asked, more to himself than Navi or Zelda. "I mean, I can remember seeing her kick some major ass before--"

"Link!" Zelda scolded.

"It's only the truth!"

Before Zelda could speak again, a crack of thunder sent the three leaping into the air in fright.

Heads craned heavenward to search for more clouds, but oddly, the sky was clear, bluer than Link had ever seen it.

The thunder cracked again, and suddenly, a white bolt of lightning arched out of the sky and struck Hyrule Field, just between Lon Lon Ranch and the Pass to Gerudo Valley.

Zelda gasped, and Link and Navi automatically turned to fetch Epona.

******************************************************************************

Wind roared around her, and the air crackled with raw energy unleashed from Awen's magick. Gasping, Vanessa plunged through the portal, fighting the hurricane-like winds. As soon as her feet touched the soil of Hyrule, the portal sealed up behind her like a drawstring pouch.

Frowning, Vanessa whipped off her sunglasses and looked back where the portal had been, then back to the land around her.

"Well, I made good time," she muttered to herself.

Setting the glasses back on her face again, Vanessa looked around her one more time. Hell, where was she supposed to go? There was a ranch nearby, but Vanessa thought that she could see a castle a ways off.

Sighing, Vanessa readjusted her backpack on her shoulders, then opted for the castle. The princess might be there. If not, Vanessa could always buy a pony and look for Zelda, couldn't she?

Vanessa climbed a steep hill and headed for a dirt road. She glanced up at the sky. It was a deep blue, just like Cibola's skies and waters.

Maybe she could get used to it here … hey, Hyrule was in early summer, and it was as hot as it got in the Cibolan lowlands. Not bad.

Vanessa was midway up the road when she heard a horse whinny. Surprised, she glanced up and saw a group of cavalrymen galloping towards her.

'_Hey, maybe they were expecting me,'_ Vanessa thought, and she smiled a little. That was nice of Awen, calling for a welcome party …

She raised her arm and began to shout a greeting--but then noticed that they had lowered their long spears.

And they were aiming right at her.

"Uh-oh …" Vanessa braced herself, moving slowly into a combat stance as the horsemen closed in on her. Her mind raced; should she run? What good would that do? Maybe they were just being cautious?

Forget it. The eight men broke off and circled their horses around her. Vanessa winced and cursed her hesitation furiously.

From the look of the armor, Vanessa figured that these guys must have been part of the Royal Army. She relaxed only slightly; friendly or not, if the soldier-boys figured she was strange, she could be in for a fight.

One of the men rode closer to her, lowering his lance so it jabbed right at her throat. "State your name and business!" he barked.

Vanessa cocked an eyebrow, the slowly reached up and removed her sunglasses. "I'm Vanessa Valeska of Ardea--"

The men all laughed, and their leader sneered. "What kind of a name is that?"

Irked, Vanessa clenched her fists. "That's my name, genius," she snapped, "It's Cibolan for _'Vanessa, the warrior queen of Ardea--'_"

"Warrior queen," someone snorted, and Vanessa shot him her nastiest glare.

The leader inched the lance closer. "What are you doing here?"

"I was sent here by Queen Awen the Conqueror …" Vanessa grimaced when she saw the leader's eyes flare. "And I'm guessing you're not too friendly towards Danna'kas?"

"Baaahhhh!!" he bellowed, "Filthy beasts!"

"Hey! Those are my friends you're talking about!"

"Any friend of a Danna'ka is no friend of mine!"

"Who said I was _your_ friend? Do you actually _have_ any?" Finally driven to the edge, Vanessa slapped the lance aside. "And point that thing some place else, buddy!"

The men began to mutter something, and Vanessa bent back into attack position. "Look, I just want to find Princess Zelda--"

"No one goes near the princess!" the leader snapped. He nudged his horse forward, and the huge stallion snorted as it advanced, forcing Vanessa to back up. "Least of all _you_, whelp. _Your_ kind aren't welcomed--"

"_MY KIND?!_ Have you looked in a mirror recently, _pal?"_

The leader roared and flung his lance. Muscles tightening, Vanessa flipped backwards, landing on her hands and launching herself back right up again. She shot off to the side, throwing her bag aside and startling the leader's horse.

The stallion reared, and as the leader fought to control it, Vanessa shouted, "And you should talk, Donkey Ears. Those things are _huge!_ Why don't you go to the local crone and get 'em _amputated?"_

"Arrgghh!!" Snatching another lance out of a soldier's hands, the leader thrust the huge spear at Vanessa. She leapt back, just far enough for the lance to miss her ribcage. Grabbing the shaft, Vanessa drove the spear back, slamming the butt into the leader's stomach, lifting him up and flipping him right out of the saddle.

The man slammed to the ground, yelping like a puppy. Forgetting him for the moment, Vanessa spun around to meet her oncoming attackers with a loud snarl.

One man tried to impale her on his lance as well. Vanessa sprang into the air, twisting her body around and bringing her booted foot down heavily on the lance head, snapping it right off.

She ducked away from him, and lifted her lance up. Bracing herself, Vanessa ran towards two approaching knights, then slammed the tip of the lance into the ground. The lance sailed up, carrying her with it.

Both men gasped in fright as Vanessa released her grip on the lance, flying towards them with both booted feet thrust out. She slammed hard into their chests, knocking them backwards off of their mounts.

Tucking her head against her chest, Vanessa hit the ground with a loud thunk, rolled with the impact, then sprang easily to her feet.

The four remaining men all leapt down from their horses and raced towards her, raising lances or swords.

"Give me a _break,_ guys," she muttered, then threw herself across the ground, launching herself into a cartwheel.

Coming within four feet of the men, Vanessa changed the cartwheel into a back flip. Her powerful leg muscles threw her into the air, just enough to clear the men's heads.

Panting, Vanessa quickly regained her balance and pivoted on one leg. She kicked one knight hard in the back, throwing him to the ground. The remaining three's surprise gave Vanessa enough time to disarm one, fling him into a second, then punched a third, sending him reeling.

"You guys are _pathetic!"_ she shouted as they scrambled away. "One little sixteen-year-old like me took all eight of you out like last week's trash--and I'm not even _breathing_ hard!"

Somewhere near her, Vanessa heard more hoof beats. Fairly growling, she spun around and prepared for another offensive.

The sorrel mare skidded to a halt next to her, throwing dust high into the air. Atop the horse sat a young man wearing a green tunic. As a fairy zipped around his head, the man glared at the soldiers. "Back off, you guys."

The leader of the knights swore. "She's an invader!"

"I _am?" _Vanessa asked, sounding puzzled. "Gee, I had no idea …"

The young man waved the soldiers away. "She's my concern," he said, "Your concern is protecting Princess Zelda."

Hearing that name, Vanessa wheeled around. "Zelda? You know her?"

The man looked down at her, and suddenly, his eyes widened, as if in shock.

******

Link could only stare at the girl. He was numb with shock and horror.

_That woman from his dream was standing right next to him._

It took Navi a minute to figure out why Link looked so petrified. She yelped, then leaned close to his ears and hissed, _"Are you as freaked as _I _am?"_

Link couldn't speak. It was like he had lost his voice in his shock.

The young woman blinked, then shifted, somewhat uncomfortably. "Um, I need to speak to Princess Zelda," she said softly, "I was sent here by Queen Awen to help her."

"Queen Awen?!" Navi squealed, "Cool! The Hylian records put her up there with Link as one of the greatest heroes in the world!"

The girl's eyes flew open. _"You? _You're Link?"

He nodded. "Ye-yeah …?"

The girl heaved a heavy sigh. "Thank God," she said, sounding relieved, "I didn't know where to find you. My name--" She paused to glare at the regrouping men. "--Is Vanessa Valeska of Ardea. Just call me Vanessa, and don't act like those idiots over there."

The lead soldier opened his mouth to snap something, but Link cut him off. "All of you, go home."

Vanessa glanced back at him as he leapt down from Epona. "I really need to see the Princess," she said.

"What's wrong?"

The girl hesitated, then glanced back at the soldiers. She didn't speak again until they had all saddled up and had ridden away.

"It's a long story, but I'll try to keep it short," Vanessa began, "Two months ago, I was sent on a mission sent by Awen and the Cibolan queens to find these … people. They were vampires."

Link and Navi stared at her curiously.

"Undead," Vanessa explained, to which they both nodded. "One of them--Renfield--was going to free a demon called an ekimmu. It's a servant of an ancient queen of demons.

"Anyways, I managed to catch up with him just as he became the Avatar--you know, the Ekimmu Spirit took over his body?--and I was able to kill him. But … but he had a, well, maybe you could call it a _mate. _Her name was Lamia Carna."

Vanessa hesitated, then swallowed hard. "I think she was never truly human to begin with, because I haven't seen Undead like her before. I couldn't kill her, and she fled.

"My mentor--Awen--discovered that Lamia Carna was going back to her home in Hyrule--"

"Oh, _great,"_ Navi sighed.

"--And she sent me here," Vanessa finished. She looked pleadingly at Link. "I really need to see Zelda."

Link shrugged. "Undead? That shouldn't be a problem--"

"No! No, it's not that …" Vanessa rubbed her forehead. "Link, you fought a man named Ganondorf, right?"

Suddenly, a sick feeling burned in Link's stomach. "Yeah …?"

"Lamia Carna is Ganondorf's daughter."

Navi shrieked and fell backwards off of Link's shoulder, and Epona reared in fright.

"No!" Link cried, but Vanessa only nodded. "Ganondorf … he had a _daughter?!_ No, that's not right--"

"Link, face it; Ganondorf had a daughter. When he tried to take over Hyrule, he sent Lamia out to make sure none of Hyrule's allies intervened."

Link shook his head incredulously. "Vanessa, I didn't--I never met her …"

Vanessa shrugged. "I don't know what to say, Link. Personally, I don't care _whose_ kid she is, I want her put six feet under." Vanessa stared at him hard. "Lamia Carna is the most dangerous demon I've seen. I can't even stress what she …"

Vanessa broke off and shook her head. "No, look; Zelda will understand. I'm surprised that you don't believe me."

"It's not that," Link insisted, "Holy Farore, I _don't want to believe it._ I've fought so many people, and for so long …"

Vanessa nodded, her face saddened. "I know, I know … I've fought too long too."

Link locked his eyes with Vanessa's. Somehow, he knew that he couldn't doubt what she was saying.

He was surprised to see her cheeks flush. Vanessa quickly looked away. "Sunlight's burning, Link," she said, a little shyly. "I'll explain everything when I see Zelda."

Link heaved a sigh. "All right." He smiled ruefully before turning and swinging up on top of Epona. He began to hold out his hand, but was surprised when Vanessa hefted herself up behind him.

"She won't mind?" Vanessa asked, and Epona nickered.

"Nah," Navi replied, fluttering up in front of Vanessa's face. "She's carried heavier loads."

"Hardy har har," Link snorted. He nudged Epona with his knee, and the mare obediently turned towards the palace.

"Uh, Link?"

"Yeah Vanessa?"

"Where're the reins?"

"Reins?"

Epona let out a mighty whinny and leapt into a full speed gallop. Behind Link, Vanessa gasped in fright and grabbed him around the waist.

"A warning would have been nice!" she snapped.

"Sorry! I thought you would have known!"

"Forgive me for not polishing up on Hylian riding techniques before I arrived!"

******************************************************************************

Nabooru sat atop one of the mud-brick complexes in Gerudo Valley, her knees drawn up and tucked under her chin. She sighed miserably; she woke that morning with a violent jerk, screaming in horror. She had dreamt of various monsters infesting the Gerudo Valley, something about the Gerudos following a triad of dark women. Two seemed evil, truly evil, and they stayed hidden in the shadows, away from what little light filtered in past the cliffs. But the third, something about the third frightened Nabooru the most. She couldn't quite explain why; the third woman wasn't nearly as sinister as the first two. But something about her spirit troubled Nabooru; she had known that spirit once, but it had changed horribly.

Somewhere below, a Cucco crowed, and Nabooru blinked in surprise. She hadn't realized that she didn't eat anything all morning long. Nabooru had been going between the Spirit Temple and her home, trying to pray to the Goddesses and contact Princess Zelda.

But there was something wrong.

There was someone in Hyrule that didn't belong here. Whoever it was, he or she was upsetting the magickal balances.

As Nabooru stood and walked towards the stairway, she heard shouting from the sentries in the towers overlooking the canyon. A gong roared, and Nabooru broke into a run. Whenever the Watchers rang the gong, that meant a group of strangers was approaching.

Nabooru leapt down the last few flights, meeting her second-in-command Ephiny halfway down and accepting an axe from the woman.

Nabooru's lieutenant raced to herd the children and male slaves into the complexes as Nabooru gathered her army. Just as the warrior women assembled, a trumpet sounded. Nabooru started; the people approaching were Gerudos.

Nabooru held a hand up to her army. "Easy, sisters." She turned and shouted up at the sentries. "Let them in!"

The sentries obeyed, and the gates swung open. A huge tribe of Gerudos, all heavily clothed to keep out the heat and the sand, thundered into the Valley, their dark horses whinnying impatiently.

The lead Gerudo leaned back heavily into her saddle, holding a hand up. Instantly, her mare, and her tribes' horses all halted.

Nabooru gripped the handle of the axe and approached the tribe. She stopped before the leader and raised her head defiantly. "Who are you?"

The woman didn't answer, yet she swung down from her horse. With a flourish, she removed her hood and scarf.

Nabooru gasped in shock as her daughter smiled back. "Mother! It's great to see you again!"

"_Saanabora? _What are you doing here? And with your _tribe?"_

Saanabora's smile grew wider, and Nabooru froze; were those fangs?

"We wanted to join yours, Mother," said Saanabora. "Didn't you hear?"

Nabooru felt sick. She didn't _want_ to hear. "I think I speak for all of us when I say 'no'."

Saanabora stepped aside and gestured to a woman seated atop a huge black stallion. "Our lord Ganondorf's daughter came back!"

There was a collective gasp of shock behind Nabooru. Nabooru wheeled around, a bit frightened; there were Gerudos here who were still visciously loyal to Ganondorf. If that monster's daughter had returned, then there was no telling _what_ may happen.

Saanabora's smile faded slightly. "What's wrong?"

"Saana … but …"

"It's true, Mother. The princess is going to free her father--"

"_No!" _Nabooru bellowed, and Saanabora jerked back, startled. "No! Whoever this is, take her back to your tribe! Get her out of here!"

"Mother, I thought you'd be happy--"

"No spawn of Ganondorf is going to rule my queendom!!"

Before Saanabora could snap back, a loud, viscious snarl cracked through the air. Nabooru's eyes widened fearfully as the tall, cloaked woman turned to her and hissed, "Is _that_ what I am now, Aunt Nabooru? _Spawn?"_

The Gerudo leapt down from her horse and advanced threateningly on Nabooru. Fear getting the better of her, Nabooru began to back away, a cowardly thing for any respectable Gerudo queen to do.

The woman pulled away her cloak and scarf, and the Gerudos around them either gasped in horror or shouted with glee. Nabooru could only stagger away, terrified.

It _was_ Ganondorf's daughter.

Lamia Carna was back.

The younger woman glared at Nabooru, her cat-like eyes narrowing. "A pleasure to see you as well, _Aunt," _she growled, the words hissing out between two sets of fangs.

Nabooru didn't know what to do. She couldn't kill her niece. The hell with being a Sage, Nabooru just wasn't strong enough to fight a woman who was pure demon and who had manipulated magick since the day she could speak.

Lamia drew in a deep breath and lifted her head, scanning the cliffs and pueblo houses. "It all looks the same, yet I can feel the differences," she said softly. "Like this, for instance; Mother isn't here."

Nabooru almost jumped; she had forgotten about Tartara.

Snarling again, Lamia turned back to Nabooru. "Where is she?"

Nabooru had to stall her. Lamia Carna around was bad enough, but _Queen Tartara?_

Nabooru shrugged. "Dunno."

Lamia blinked slowly. Behind her, Saanabora snarled herself. "She lies."

"Hmm. Let's try again, Aunt; _where is she?"_

Nabooru began to shake. "I seriously don't know."

Saana growled. "Cooperate, Mother."

"Don't you speak to me that way, you whelp."

Lamia sighed. "Since the easy way doesn't seem to be helping, I'll try a different approach."

Faster than any of the cobras in the Spirit Temple, Lamia's clawed hand shot out, catching Nabooru by the throat, and effortlessly lifted her off of the ground.

Nabooru choked. In her panic, she dropped the axe and began to claw helplessly at Lamia's muscular arm.

Suddenly, Lamia's face seemed to warp. Her small, delicate face twisted and descended, turning into a short snout. Her skin tightened across her face, and both her cheeks and eyes sunk into her skull. Her eyes fairly disappeared, becoming bloody red.

When Lamia opened her mouth, her entire mouth was rimmed with stained fangs and discolored saliva. An animalistic roar blasted out of her throat as she screamed, _"WHERE IS MY MOTHER?!!"_

Nabooru yelped. "Saana--_help--!!"_

When her daughter appeared at Lamia's disfigured elbow, Nabooru burst into tears.

Saanabora, her eyes yellowed and skin pale, snarled at Nabooru, revealing her own set of knife-like teeth.

"You're stupid to defy her, Mother!" Saana snapped, jabbing a long, black talon at Nabooru's face. "Answer the princess!"

"NO!!!" Nabooru screamed.

Disgusted, Lamia flung Nabooru aside, sending her crashing into a brick wall.

As Nabooru lay there, gasping and choking, rubbing the huge bruises on her throat, Lamia turned to the Gerudos who had once been under Nabooru's leadership.

"As I've demonstrated, I'm not very patient," Lamia shouted, her voice sounding more sinister with every echo throughout the village. "But I'm willing to strike a deal with you; join me, or I can kill you all, drink your blood, devour your flesh, maybe make trophies out of your skulls, and then call it a day."

Cries of horror erupted, but they were soon drowned out by the voices of those Gerudos who wanted Ganondorf to be restored as king. The grumbling turned to shouts, the shouts to roars, and the roars to fighting.

Nabooru's sight wavered, but she could see her tribe turning on themselves. She coughed, staggered to her feet. "No …"

Claws ripped into her scalp, and Nabooru let out a garbled scream as Saana grabbed her by the crown of her head and yanked her back, flinging her back to the ground.

"You can still save yourself, Mother," Saanabora said. Her snarl faded. "I don't want to see you hurt."

Nabooru looked up at her daughter. This was Saanabora, 'daughter of the Sun', Nabooru's only child, the one she loved so much that, rather than subject her to her uncle Ganondorf's tyranny, Nabooru had her slipped out of the Valley and sent across Hyrule, to the Raja tribe by the ocean.

But now Saana had betrayed Nabooru. She allied herself with Lamia Carna despite everything Nabooru had taught her. She had changed herself, turning into a monster. She was embracing the evil that Ganondorf and his daughter thrived on.

Saanabora didn't want to see Nabooru hurt. But she had only stood by and smirked as Lamia throttled Nabooru.

Nabooru's hands dug into the hot sand. "Saana?"

The girl nodded.

"_Go to hell!"_

Nabooru flung the sand into Saana's eyes. The beast screamed and staggered back, furiously wiping away the stinging grains.

Nabooru leapt to her feet. Wheezing, yet forcing herself to run as fast as she could, Nabooru tore down towards the gates to the Pass. If she could get to Lon Lon Ranch, she could ride from there to the palace--

Like some monster from a fairy tale, Lamia Carna calmly dropped off the side of the cliff and landed before Nabooru.

"Where do you think you're going, _Auntie?"_

Nabooru skidded in the dirt. "Oh--!"

Lamia's eyes turned to slits. "Going for help?"

Nabooru turned--

Swinging one huge hand, Lamia battered Nabooru to the ground. The demonic princess pounced, and Nabooru screamed as she felt fangs tear into her arm.

Snapping her neck around, Lamia threw Nabooru onto her back, like a doll . Nabooru gasped and gripped her arm in fright. She couldn't feel anything.

Licking some of the blood off of her fangs, Lamia Carna sank down across from Nabooru like a hellish lioness.

"I'd rather kill you now," she said nonchalantly, "But you're needed a bit longer." Lamia chuckled. "You've gone from lunch to bait, Old Nabooru."

Nabooru gave up. As the screams in the village became worse, she began to weep.

******************************************************************************

Zelda, Impa, and Zared were waiting in the reception hall when Link, Navi, and the newcomer returned to the castle. Zelda's eyes widened when she saw the girl. "You--"

Vanessa blinked, then bowed slightly. "Princess Zelda?"

"Yes, but--" Zelda stood up and walked towards the trio. "You … Link and I saw you in our dreams."

Vanessa looked surprised. "Really? It's not often I get a cameo in dreams." She shrugged. "I'm Vanessa Valeska of Ardea."

"_Ardea?"_ Zared repeated, sounding like he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"Valeska de _Rexanna?"_ Impa asked, leaping to her feet.

Link looked at the small woman next to him. "What?"

"Either I blacked out," Navi snorted, "or I missed something."

Vanessa shrugged again, uncomfortably, but she nodded. "Yeah, Valeska de Rexanna. And yes, Ardea as in Cibola."

Zared stood immediately and both he and Impa bowed. "Princess!"

"_Princess?"_ Link repeated in disbelief.

Vanessa nodded, but she didn't look proud. "Don't call me that," she said quietly. "I'm not a princess anymore."

"But …"

As if eager to end the discussion, Vanessa turned to him and muttered in his ear. "I'm from Cibola, Link. Ardea was my home before it was decimated. I'm technically not a princess anymore … just an everyday, run of the mill magic-working demon hunter now."

Link only stared. _Vanessa? _This odd looking, strangely clothed, heavily accented girl standing next him, the one with dark brown hair streaked with black and red, with the glittering brown-green-and-gold eyes, as muscular as any Gerudo, was a _princess?_

Vanessa tossed her heavy bag aside and walked towards Zelda. "May I have something to drink? I've been traveling all day."

"Of course, Vanessa," Zelda replied kindly, even though her sparkling eyes betrayed her worry. "Cold tea?"

"That sounds great."

Link folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes. "Vanessa has something to tell you, Princess."

Vanessa's eyes narrowed, and she sighed as accepted a mug from Impa. "Yeah. It's not good."

Impa shook her head as she moved to stand next to Zelda. "News after prophetic dreams is never good in Hyrule."

"Yeah, well, this is _bad." _Vanessa paused to gather her thoughts, drumming her shiny fingernails against the side of the mug. "Where do I start? Princess Zelda, my mentor Queen Awen sent me here because a demoness has escaped from our realm. Normally … normally, I wouldn't have bothered to track it here because I knew Link could destroy it."

Vanessa shook her head. "But this creature … this is the daughter of--"

"_Ganondorf?" _Zelda whispered.

It became freezing cold in the reception hall. Vanessa's shoulders fell as she nodded.

"I'm sorry that I didn't kill her before," the girl said softly. "But this demon, Lamia Carna, has returned to Hyrule to free Ganondorf from the realm you imprisoned him in. I knew you would need help fighting her--"

"Link can defeat her," Zared said firmly. "He _did_ defeat Ganondorf several times already--"

"That's not it! Lamia's a sorceress, but she's also an Undead. It's going to be as hard as hell to catch up with her, never mind the actual killing." Vanessa finally put her mug down. "Lamia's a warrior. She's studied the Cibolan martial arts, and she managed to raise armies in the Isles. And I'm not sure, but Awen is certain that Lamia captured several monsters from our worlds and might have taken them back here."

"Like I said," growled Zared, rising slowly to his feet. "Link can--"

"How do you know?" Vanessa snapped visciously. "Didn't he need all sorts of fairys to bring him back to life?"

Before Zared could reply, Link took the liberty of stepping between the prince and the princess. "Sir, I'm impressed that you have such great faith in me, but any help Vanessa can offer can help me end this--_problem_--quickly."

Zared only growled.

"I don't like him," Navi muttered.

Zelda hid her eyes behind her hands for a moment, then turned to the people around her. "I'll go contact the Sages. Link, you, Navi, and Vanessa comb the field between the palace and Lon Lon Ranch."

"Right," Link agreed.

Zelda turned to Zared. "Zared, I'd appreciate it if you would watch the castle for me."

"Of course, dear." Zared smiled at her, and Link bit back a jealous scowl.

Vanessa's strange eyes noted his frown. She leaned over to him and whispered, "What's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, uh no-nothing …"

Navi rolled her eyes. "Smooth, Loverboy, real smooth."

Agreeing to return to the palace when the sun was halfway down to the horizon, Link nudged Vanessa and gestured for her to follow him.

As they trotted down the steps and Link whistled for Epona, Vanessa said, "Hey, I just realized something; I never thought beyond killing Lamia, so what am I going to do meanwhile?"

Link and Navi looked at her questioningly. Vanessa shrugged.

"I don't have a place to stay," she explained, "and I don't have any money."

"Not to mention a mode of transportation," Navi noted as Epona cantered towards them.

"Or a decent weapon," Link added, swinging up into the saddle. Vanessa surprised him again by easily hopping up behind him.

He glanced back at her as she shoved her multi-colored hair away from her face. "We could go to Lon Lon Ranch tomorrow and buy you a pony," he suggested.

Vanessa shrugged. "Don't waste your money on me."

Navi laughed. "Waste it? Come on, Vanessa; trample any weed here and you're bound to find hundreds of rupees."

"Oh, rupees? Sorry if I sound stupid, but I'm still catching on."

Link shrugged and smiled. "No problem. So, tomorrow; first thing, we'll get a pony."

As he kicked Epona into a gallop, he heard Vanessa chuckle. "I finally get a pony after antagonizing my guardians for like, five years."

Startled, Link glanced back at her. "Guardians?"

She didn't hear him.

Link and Navi shared a curious look; they suddenly realized that there was a lot more to this stranger than they knew.

******

Epona slammed to a halt in the middle of Hyrule Field, whinnying in fright. Link and Vanessa yelped, pitching over Epona's neck and each other. Navi sped on a few more feet before realizing that her friends weren't following.

"What's the matter?" she asked, flying back to them.

Link shrugged as Vanessa dropped to the ground. "Somethin' scared Epona."

Vanessa slowly approached the nervous horse, making quiet nickering sounds and gently stroking Epona's nose. Epona relaxed visibly and buried her head into Vanessa's shoulder.

Stroking the horse's cheek, Vanessa glanced up at Link. "Does she do that often?"

"Only when she wants to make a swift exit in the opposite direction," Navi replied.

Link pointed with his chin. "Is there something in the bushes?"

Releasing Epona's head, Vanessa knelt down next to the brambles. "I don't see anything--"

Something skittered through the bush, snarling at Vanessa. Epona shied away fearfully as Link drew out his short sword.

But the little beast moved faster than he could.

Epona reared in terror as a small green, spiny gremlin leapt out of the bushes, lunging for Vanessa's throat. The girl cried out in fright and flung herself backwards. The monster flew right over her, squawking in irritation.

It skidded across the dirt and ducked between Epona's legs. The mare screamed and bucked. The gremlin shrieked back and shot off across the field.

Vanessa flexed her body and sprang to her feet as Link leapt down next to her. "What in Holy Hyrule was that thing?!"

"Something you don't want to live?" Navi suggested before diving under his cap.

The fanged monster hissed furiously at them, then squawked and bounded away as Vanessa dove to grab it.

Link leapt into a run, shouting, "It's heading towards Zora's Domain!"

"Ooh, all right! I'm on it!" Navi shot out of Link's hair and zipped after the monster.

Vanessa jumped to her feet and sprinted after Link, reaching his side easily. Link regarded her for a moment in surprise; for such a small person, she was remarkably powerful.

The beast ahead of them howled and dove headfirst into the river. Link and Navi skidded to a halt at the edge of the bank, but Vanessa bounded right in after the monster. _"Bonsai!!"_

"Vanessa!" Link cried in shock.

The girl hit the water with a gigantic splash. She surfaced a second later, spitting out a mouthful of water. "Guys, help me!"

Link wildly about him for something--_anything! _He jumped in fright as Navi grabbed his ear and screamed, _"Bomb Flowers!! _Use the Bomb Flowers!!"

Spotting the fiery plants on the opposite bank, Link ripped across the dirt and launched himself into the air, catching the bank by his fingertips.

Thanking the Goddesses that he was too lazy--maybe too wary--to take his Goron Bracelet off, Link raced over the patch and yanked the largest flower out.

As he ran back to the river's edge, Navi shouted, "Vanessa! Incoming!"

Vanessa and the monster froze in the water, staring at the fairy in confusion.

"What?" Vanessa demanded, but Navi didn't reply. With a grunt of effort, Link threw the reddening, hissing Bomb Flower into the river.

The Bomb Flower exploded, showering the ground around the river--as well as Link and Navi--with muddy water. The gremlin screeched as it was flung high into the air, then slammed into the bank.

Vanessa clawed her way up the bank as Link lunged for the dazed creature. She joined him as he struggled to hack at the squirming monster. Finally, Link drove the short sword home, and the beast dissolved into ash.

Panting, Link wiped away water and mud from his face before turning to Vanessa. "What the hell was that?"

"It's called a kappa," Vanessa replied between breaths. She paused to bend down and insert her dagger back into the sheath tied around her right calf. "It's in the same genus as Undead. Lamia must have stolen a few from Japan."

"From _where??"_

Vanessa stared at him for a moment, puzzled. Realization crossed her face, and she smacked her forehead with the heel of her hand. "D'oh! I forgot."

Link sheathed his sword and cocked an eyebrow at the girl. "Explain."

"Japan's an island nation in another realm."

"Different from ours?"

"Yeah."

"How do you know about it?"

"More important question," Navi interrupted, fluttering awkwardly on mud-caked wings. _"What are kappas?"_

Vanessa began to wring out her hair as she answered. "Kappas are water gremlins. They attack people and animals for livers though, not blood."

"Ick!" Navi squawked, "I'm sorry I asked!"

Link's heart stopped for a moment. "Wait, will the kappa attack anything?"

"Well, yeah; if it's moving, not another kappa, and can't burn 'em alive, they'll eat it." Vanessa blinked. "Why? Link, you look weird."

He shook his slowly. "There's a race of water people here."

"Mermaids?"

"What?"

"Never mind."

"They're called Zoras."

"Zoras …?" Vanessa mused. Her eyes widened and she snapped her fingers. "That's right; I met a clan when I was in Cibola two years ago."

Link and Navi looked at each other; Zoras lived _outside _of Hyrule??

Vanessa seemed to sense their confusion. _"Portals,_ you guys. We use _portals_ to travel to different lands!"

"Ah," Link and Navi said.

"Anyways …"

"Anyways," Link picked up again, "The Zoras can't stay anywhere that isn't damp. If the kappas find a way into the Domain, they could kill the Zoras either by attacking them in the water, or beaching them on land."

Vanessa blinked. "That's gotta suck. What'll we do?"

"We??"

Navi elbowed Link hard in the temple. "She means that she's gonna help!" she hissed.

Link grimaced, then glanced back at Vanessa. She was so different from any inhabitant of Hyrule that he had known. He kept forgetting that in Vanessa's homeland, things were obviously done differently.

He sighed. "I don't know yet. But I think we should tell Zelda before we go running off after anything."

Vanessa hesitated, the reached up and pulled a slimy twig out of Link's hair. "Sounds like a good idea."

****

Vanessa hopped off Epona before the horse even slowed her canter. Link jumped down onto the castle steps, and bounded up them three at a time.

Vanessa sighed, then trudged after him. It had felt like an extraordinarily long day, and Vanessa was dying to sit down on anything other than a saddle.

She trailed Link back into the reception hall, where the princess and her attendant stood, staring at them in disbelief.

"We're back," Link grunted, kicking some dirt off of his boots.

"And I brought dinner," Vanessa added sarcastically, pulling a wriggling fish out of her pocket and tossing it on the table.

"What in Din's name happened?" Zelda demanded.

Link glanced at Vanessa. She sighed, then proceeded to recount their battle with the slippery kappa, and then explained the kappa's demonic characteristics.

"It eats livers instead of drinking blood," Vanessa said. She shrugged. "If that's good or bad, you tell me."

Impa shook her head. "I suppose I have me work cut out fer me now," she muttered.

"We're going to help," Vanessa offered.

Zelda rubbed her forehead. "Link, I couldn't summon Nabooru."

The knight's eyes flew open. "What?!!"

Vanessa might not have been a fully trained warrior-witch, but she defiantly could sense emotions. Right now, Link was feeling absolute terror.

"What's wrong?" she asked, "Nabooru? Is she a sage?"

Zelda nodded. "She's the Sage of Spirit, and the queen of the Gerudos."

"Your people," Navi said, as if to explain.

"Warrior women?" Vanessa said, surprised.

Impa nodded, her face grim. "One man every one hundred years is born t' th' Gerudos. Ganondorf was their most recent king."

Vanessa's brow furrowed. "Lamia's gone back to her family."

"But Nabooru," Link said urgently, "What happened to _Nabooru?"_

Zelda looked exasperated. "Link, I don't know!"

Link shook his head. "I'll go find her--"

"NO!!!" Zelda fairly shrieked, and Vanessa figured that if she had leapt any higher into the air, Zelda would have fingernail marks in her ceiling right now.

The princess leapt across the room in a lithe movement and blocked Link's progress to the gates. Her once sensitive eyes were now flaring with rage. "Link, if you go there now, Lamia won't hesitate to rip your head off!"

Link's eyes narrowed. "Do you really think that Nabooru would sit back and let that monster take over her tribe?"

"Link, listen to me!!"

"Link," Vanessa said, crossing quickly to the pair. "Zelda's right, and you know it."

He didn't seem to hear her. "She's your sister-in-law, Zelda," he growled, "and she's my only link to the Spirit Realm."

With a strength that surprised them all, Zelda shoved Link away, throwing all of her weight against his chest and knocking him onto his back.

Vanessa stared open-mouthed at Zelda. "You go, Princess."

Zelda's eyes glazed over as she jabbed a finger at Link. "The Sages are my responsibility, Link!" she shouted, "Yours is to protect the people who live here!"

Link struggled to his feet. "But Zelda--"

"No, Link; don't fight with me over this."

The princess' furious glare faded. She sniffed, then stepped away from Link. "I need you, Link. Don't die on me."

Vanessa bit her lip; her two allies were torn between their duties and their loyalties.

_Like she had been …_

Vanessa reached out and gently touched Link's shoulder. He turned to her, his face hard, but his eyes troubled.

"I'll help you find Nabooru," Vanessa whispered, just so Zelda couldn't overhear and interject. "But the princess is right; it's too early to make any moves now."

Link's head bowed slightly, and his shoulders fell.

Suddenly, Vanessa felt badly for the man standing before her. She had known him for a few hours, and already she was sharing his pain.

"Maybe she's all right," Vanessa suggested, though she knew it was probably all in vain. "Maybe Nabooru escaped and is camping out somewhere."

He shook his head. "I can't help it, Vanessa," he muttered.

Link turned away before she could say another word. Navi fluttered up to her side. "Thanks for trying, Vanessa," she said.

Zelda wiped her eyes, then turned back to the trio. "We should all get some rest," she said wearily. "We'll meet back here right after breakfast."

"An' no dallyin' around," Impa said sharply.

"Aye, aye," Vanessa agreed.

Link nodded. "All right. Vanessa will stay with me." He lowered his voice. "Tomorrow, I'll go to the Temple."

Vanessa cocked an eyebrow at the cryptic remark, but decided not to question him. Wishing Zelda and Impa a good night--or at least a halfway decent sleep--Vanessa turned and followed Link and Navi to the gates.

Zelda's trembling voice halted them. "Link …?"

The young man turned to the princess.

Zelda drew in a ragged breath. "Talk to Saria," she said, and fell silent.

***

Vanessa ducked a low hanging branch as Epona thundered through a forest, into a village where Link lived. Vanessa glanced about her in disbelief. Wait, were those _kids?_ Or was she seeing things?

Epona slid to a halt, and a short, pug nosed boy scurried over, glaring at Link.

"Who's this?" he demanded, pointing at Vanessa

"Take it easy, Mido," Link grunted as he slipped out of Epona's saddle. "She's a friend. Don't worry."

The elf looked flabbergasted. "Don't worry?! I AM MIDO!! BOSS OF THE KOKIRI!! AND I DEMAND TO KNOW WHO THIS STRANGER IS!!"

"The Annoying Elf Crusher," Vanessa said sarcastically as she hopped down from Epona's back. "But you can call me Vanessa."

Mido gulped. "Elf C-crusher?"

"But that's only when she's in a good mood," Navi said dryly. "Mido, why don't you piss her off and see what happens?"

Mido shot Navi a nasty glare. "She is still a stranger, and I say--"

"Back off, Stumpy," Vanessa snarled, "Or I'll be forced to use the Vulcan Mind Melt."

Hearing that, Mido threw up his hands and backed away. "All right! No need to get testy, heh …"

Navi looked back at Vanessa quizzically as Mido scampered off. _"What _Mind Melt?"

"Don't worry. It's not even real."

Navi sighed. "Too bad."

"Guys," Link called to them. Vanessa turned, then grinned as she watched Link stagger back from the corral where he had turned Epona loose. He had two tiny Kokiri babies clinging at both feet, hampering his movement.

"I've got to go talk to Saria," he said. "I'll be back later."

"Where're you going?" Vanessa asked.

"No where, if these two don't leave me alone!!"

The babies giggled.

Link bent down to pry them off. "I'll be at the Forest Temple," he said, "Navi'll take you to my house. And if there's a problem, just send Navi out. She'll find me."

"Okay." Vanessa glanced up at the fairy. "Lead the way."

"Righto!" Navi shot off, leaving Vanessa fairly choking on a trail of fairy dust.

She sprinted after the fairy, following her down a long path that led to an immense … _tree house??_

"This is it!" Navi said, almost proudly. "Welcome to Chateau de Linkmeister."

"It's huge!"

"Well, y'know, Link does tower over everybody here by like, three feet." Navi shrugged. "He needed more head room. C'mon."

Vanessa followed Navi up a set of stairs and into the darkened house. Vanessa had gone barely three feet before she wound up plowing into a small table.

"Yeow!!" she yelped, dropping her bag and clapping both hands to her shin. "What the hell--!"

"Hang on!" Navi's bluish-white form disappeared as she ducked into one room, then reappeared a second later with a lit Deku Twig. She proceeded to fly about, lighting candles and lanterns, saying sheepishly, "Sorry. I should've warned you."

"'_Should have'," _Vanessa repeated, rolling her eyes and rubbing her shin. As the room brightened, she looked down at the table, intricately carved with vines and leaves and flowers. In the lower right hand corner sat a young Hylian girl, smiling slightly, her knees drawn up and hugged against her chest, and a small crown teetering on her head.

Vanessa, forgetting her pain, reached down and ran her fingertips over the carving. "This is Zelda?"

"Uh-huh. When she was ten. Pretty cool, huh? Link carved that from memory."

Vanessa blinked. "He's in love with her, isn't he?"

When Navi didn't reply, Vanessa looked up, confused. "What?"

"You--you could tell that just by looking at the table?"

"Huh? Oh, no!" Vanessa straightened. "I saw the look on his face. He was hurt. I don't need to be a witch to know that."

Navi shook her head. "Wow--I mean, I've known it for years--Link's been in love with Zelda ever since he first met her. But, you saw it right off the bat. Not many people are that astute."

Vanessa smiled slightly and shrugged with one shoulder. "I recognized it."

"Then, maybe you can help me. See, there's this sprite--"

"Hey, I don't think I'm that good!"

Navi's face softened. "I feel bad for Link," she said, "He's been hurt a lot."

Vanessa didn't reply. She only nodded sadly.

She knew the feeling.

She could feel it right now.

****

The Minuet of the Forest dropped Link down a few feet away from the stump where Saria sat, crossed-legged, her eyes closed, as she played her Ocarina.

She opened her eyes when she sensed his presence. She stopped playing, and looked up at him sadly. "Hi, Link."

"Saria, Zelda said I should talk to you."

Saria held his gaze for a moment, then looked away, down to her hands that cupped the Ocarina.

Worried, Link knelt down in front of the Forest Sage. "What's wrong?"

"Link …" Tears brimmed in Saria's eyes. "All of the Sages have been having nightmares …"

"I know."

"And we saw the battles … but we didn't--"

She stopped, and choked on a sob. The Ocarina slipped through her fingers and thudded to the ground.

Pained, Link wiped away her tears and took her hands into his own. "What did you see?"

Weeping, Saria told Link what she had seen. Their forest had been destroyed, completely, utterly destroyed. The land was burnt and smoldering. Trees were ripped and shredded. The houses were on fire. In the sky, huge bird monsters slowly circled over the carnage.

Saria collapsed into Link's arms and cried harder. Lamia hadn't spared anyone. Bodies littered the fields. The Deku Sprout had been cut down. Blood stained the streams.

"She killed us all!" Saria cried, "She sent monsters to follow me and the girls--oh, Goddesses! They killed the babies!"

Link cradled Saria and stroked her hair. "I won't let it happen, Saria. Zelda won't either. And Vanessa's here too. She'll help--"

"No, Link! Fighting Ganondorf was hard, but we knew what to expect from him. Lamia … Lamia doesn't … oh, Link, she doesn't even have a soul! No soul, no conscience! We can't …"

"We'll stop her!" Link said, somewhat fiercely.

Saria sniffed, then leaned back to look into Link's eyes.

"_What about Vanessa?" _she whispered.

The glen was suddenly silent.

Cold, Link's eyes fell away from Saria. He had been pushing the frightening thoughts away, not wanting to face them …

But he couldn't deny what he saw.

After a moment, Saria sniffed again. "I want to go home, Link."

"All right." He stood, then picked her up, and carried her out of the Lost Woods.

*****

Link brought Saria back to her house. She promptly went to bed, skipping dinner, which only worried Link more. He wanted to speak to her, but the Twins shooed him out.

Returning to his house, he was greeted at the door by Navi. "Hey, Link."

"Hey, Navi. Where's Vanessa?"

"Washing up. Link, Shurai came."

"What? When?"

"Like fifteen minutes after you left. I was just showing Vanessa the guest room, and I turned around and there she was, standing in the doorway. She wanted to know where you were."

"Did you tell her?"

"Yeah, duh. But then she took off. Vanessa was all set to go after her but … you know, Sage of the Wind …"

"Right," Link agreed heavily. Tossing aside his gauntlets, shield and short sword, Link crossed the room to his bookcase. He scanned the titles for a moment, then pulled out a slim volume.

"What's that?" Navi asked.

Link shrugged. "A book on Cibola. I really couldn't remember anything about it."

He sat down at the dinner table, ignoring the stew that Navi had shoved towards him. He paged through the book, skimming the lines; like the Gerudos, the women of Cibola were warriors. Various tribes inhabited the island, and every one was made up of what outsiders called 'warrior-witches', due to the Cibolans' warrior nature and ability to use magick.

Unlike the Gerudos, though, the Cibolan women controlled the island totally. Their men were all slaves and servants, deprived of any right, and, since they were bereft of magickal powers, were scorned. The great queens and chieftesses of Cibola generally married princes from other countries, rather than their own males.

Link's eyes narrowed as he read the passage on Ardea; Ardea had been a great and prosperous city until a force from Atlantis and their neighbors, the Mu, attacked and leveled it. The last queen, Zenobia de Rexanna, had died trying to drive the enemies out.

"Watchya reading?"

Link leapt about a foot out of his chair. He spun around to see Vanessa standing a few feet behind him, wearing a blue nightshirt and rubbing her damp hair with a towel.

"Vanessa, you scared me!"

"I'm sorry. I thought you heard me." Vanessa crossed the room and sat down in a chair next to his. "What's this?"

"This? It's a book on Cibola." Link shrugged. "I couldn't remember anything, really."

"Could've asked me."

"But where's the logic in that?" Navi asked.

Link glared at the fairy as Vanessa laughed.

"Anyways," Link growled, turning back to Vanessa. "I'm curious … about you. You're an Amazon?"

"Yeah."

"But you don't dress like the ones in the pictures."

"Oh, I can explain that; I was born in Cibola, Link, but after Ardea was attacked, my father had me snuck out and sent to a neutral country. Obviously, their fashion's different."

"And you know magick?"

"A little. Portal casting, strength gathering, stuff like that. Mostly my magic strength is in medicine. I'm working to be a full fledged doctor soon."

Link blinked. "Why are you hunting Lamia? I'm sorry; there's just things about you that I don't understand."

Vanessa sighed. "Well … all right, I'll try to make this quick; my mom was Queen Zenobia de Rexanna of Ardea. My dad was Prince Marius Everett Aldrich of Prestor John's Land. He was a Danna'ka too, you know …

"Atlantis always hated Ardea, so it wasn't a big surprise when they attacked. My father wasn't allowed to fight, but my mother had him take me and some other girls and flee. He took us to Alba."

Navi snapped her fingers. "Queen Awen's land."

"Right. And I was part Danna'ka, so I was given asylum there. There's nothing special about me; I'm a typical Cibolan girl. But Awen told my father that she wanted to train me when I was older. He agreed, and then Awen sent me to another country to be hidden.

"My adoptive family changed my name from Valeska to Vanessa and never said anything about Cibola. I don't blame them; they were trying to protect me. But it was no secret that I was adopted. I figured it out when I was little; I didn't look like any of them, I was smaller, and stronger. My skin's a lot darker than theirs, and my eyes … well, all Cibolans have gold-rimmed eyes, like all Hylians have pointed ears.

"I didn't find out that I was a Cibolan until I was ten. Hell, that's a story in itself …

"My little brothers liked to play out in the woods, but there was a wolf-man that ran around there … what do you guys call it? A Wolfos? Well anyways, they were late coming home one night, so I went out to find them.

"I found them halfway home. They weren't even scared. We started back, but … that's when the Wolfos found us.

"It lunged from my baby brother, and I jumped and tackled it. My brothers took off, I was trapped--I wound up beating the crap out of it with a branch--but when I tried to run for it, the Wolfos chased me.

"I got to the door when I heard this yelp. I turned around, and I saw this--well, I didn't know what it was, but she stopped the Wolfos and punched it so hard she fractured its skull!"

"It was Awen?" Link asked.

Vanessa nodded. "Yeah. God, I was terrified--Awen's scarier than hell when she jumps out of nowhere. Gives you a heart attack … but there was something nice about her. She had a kind of mommy voice, you know?

"She took me back inside my house--Dad was pissed--and she told me about the Cibolans, and said that it was time for me to learn how to become a warrior-witch. I was like 'WOO-HOO!!! When do I start?!'. I was so excited …"

Her voice trailed off.

Link looked down at the tips of his boots. "But it was hard."

"It got harder as I got older," Vanessa admitted. "I can pretty much take it now--at sixteen years old, a Cibolan is supposed to be able to fight her own wars. But, y'know, twelve years old?" Vanessa shook her head. "Total hell."

"We know the feeling," Navi said softly.

Vanessa sighed, then stood. "I should have been trained since I was a baby," she said, "but now, my magick's still weak. Where my magick lacked, Awen had it made up for in martial arts. I guess I'm pretty good at it. I've been hired out by a lot of people to hunt demons."

"When did you hunt Lamia?" Link asked.

"Well, the first time I ever met her, it was totally by accident; I was on a scouting mission with some other witches, and Lamia jumped us. None of us realized that she was an Undead. It wasn't until she ripped through Cibola, Is Elfydd, Avalon _and Alba _did we find out that she was a demoness.

"Awen was the only one who could drive her out, but not before Lamia freed all sorts of monsters and raised a rebellion in one of the Alban providences. Awen and other queens and kings called for soldiers to go out and hunt her down. Awen sent me with a friend named Lara.

"We found Lamia and her boyfriend getting ready to release the Ekimmu Avatar. Lara and I stopped it, and Lamia took off. Awen had her path tracked, and it led here." Vanessa shrugged. "Lara was hurt bad--she's not even from the Isles, so she was a lot weaker than us--and since I was the one that got closest to Lamia before, I was sent to hunt her down."

"Why didn't Awen go?" Navi asked.

"Well, there is that little problem of the rebellion with the lunatics chanting Ganondorf's name," Vanessa snorted.

"Point noted."

Link watched silently as Vanessa walked towards his door. She stood there and, despite it being a warm night, she shivered.

"There's something wrong here, Link," she said. "The balance of Hyrule … it's lopsided."

She swallowed hard. "There's someone else here."

******************************************************************************

The flames in the fireplace snapped and hissed as she slipped out of the shadows. Drawing her cloak around her tighter, Queen Tartara slowly crossed the room, over to a chair that had been knocked over. She extended one bony, clawed hand, pointing it towards the chair. She flipped it, palm up, and the chair immediately leapt right up.

Growling softly, Tartara sank into the chair. As soon as the messenger girls had retrieved her from her desert fortress, Tartara had fled the burning sun and raced into the vacant room, hiding in a shadowy corner until night fell.

She closed her dry eyes and began to meditate, focusing on the varied energies of Hyrule, drawing strength from them.

Outside, there was a loud thunk of an axe hitting its block, and the Gerudos cheered.

Tartara opened her eyes and smiled thinly.

A moment later, the door opened, and two lithe figures slipped inside. Tartara knew who the first one was before she even stepped into the light of the fire.

"Mother!" Lamia cried.

"My Lamia!" Tartara would have leapt to her feet, if she had the strength. She stood, her arms opened and extended towards her daughter. Lamia raced to the old queen and embraced her.

"Oh, Mother, I missed you so much!"

"Child, the years have been long and unkind! It was terrible living alone in the desert--thank Lilu that you've returned!"

Lamia smiled, her fangs gleaming in the firelight. She eased Tartara back into her seat. "I'm here to stay, Mother. And I'm going to free Father."

"Oh, Lamia …"

"Don't worry about the allies," Lamia said, grinning devilishly. "They're too preoccupied by the rebellions right now."

Tartara stroked Lamia's hair. "But what of the Sages?"

Hearing that, Lamia jerked away from Tartara's touch. "Those idiots?! They can't do a thing to me! They're weak--weaker than you, weaker than _me! _They can't destroy this body--" She gripped Tartara's hands anxiously. "Mother, we can defeat the Hylians! I've raised armies and we have enough weapons to last us decades."

Lamia stood up and gestured to the figure behind her. "Old Nabooru's been overthrown. Her daughter now rules the tribe. Saana?"

Almost shyly, the Gerudo slipped into the light, clutching a bloodied bag. She knelt before Tartara. "My queen."

"Saanabora, my niece!" Tartara smirked, then glanced up at Lamia. "Your doing, I assume?"

Lamia chuckled. "What can I say? I saved her life …"

"Aunt Tartara," Saanabora said quickly, "To honor your return, I have a gift for you." She laid the bag at Tartara's feet.

Tartara focused on the bag, and seemingly invisible hands unwound the cord that tied the top. She glanced inside and smiled again. "The messenger girls."

Lamia snorted. "Their mothers were the ones that drove you out."

Tartara laughed softly. "Have these mounted on my walls."

"Yes, Majesty," Saanabora agreed.

Tartara turned back to Lamia, her antlered crown throwing weird shadows across her daughter's face. "'Tis interesting that you mention freeing your father," she said, "Ever since he was banished, I have been studying, trying to find the most effective way of freeing him." She laughed softly. "And its fitting that we are both Undead … to free Ganondorf, we must pour the blood of the Hero of Time and the Princess of Destiny on the exact place where he was exiled."

Lamia's face brightened. _"Their _blood? That's _all? _HA! This'll be too easy!"

Tartara held up a hand. "And it only gets better." She smiled, her breath hissing between her sharp teeth. "The prophecy of the Hero of Time is much longer than I had known before … according to the Grimorum, _the Hero of Time will succumb to the bite of an Undead!!"_

Hearing this, Lamia threw her head back and roared with laughter. "The Grimorum is never wrong! Do you heard that, Goddesses? Your Hero will fall to our fangs!!"

Saana was laughing so hard that tears were spilling over her cheeks. "Imagine the looks on the Hylians' faces when he bursts into their houses, drinking their daughters' blood--!!"

"The Hero of Time becomes the Hero of the _Undead!"_ Lamia spun around to face Tartara, her eyes sparkling with a certain, and malevolent light. "Why the hell am I waiting? I can sneak into his house and _Turn him tonight!"_

Tartara's face hardened. "No, you can't …"

The two princesses' laughter immediately faded. Looking suspicious, Lamia snarled. "Why?"

"There's a stranger here, Lamia Carna. She followed you."

"Followed me? _Who? WHO FOLLOWED ME?!!"_

Unfazed by her daughter's fearsome response, Tartara calmly closed her eyes, seeking out that life energy again. "It's a young woman," she said. "She lives outside of these borders, far beyond Hyrule. Ah … she is strong, not unlike the Gerudo, but she is a magick user …"

Lamia recoiled away from Tartara, her eyes turning bloody red. "Is there--"

"A snail shell talisman about her neck," Tartara murmured, her eyes still closed. "And a mark--a tattoo--behind her right shoulder. It's a shield … with a dragon's eye--"

"_AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!"_ Lamia screamed, her features twisting with demonic fury. Unable to control her rage, Lamia spun around, swinging a fist, smashing it straight through a wooden column. She hefted up a table twice her size and flung it across the room, shattering it against a distant wall. "VALESKA!!! It's Valeska of Ardea!! _That creature cannot get in the way of my plans again!! I want her killed! NOW!!!"_

****

Nabooru heard the doors of the jailhouse creak open, and she sat up as quickly as her broken bones would allow her. Lamia had all but obliterated the bones in Nabooru's right arm when she bit the fleeing queen. And then when Nabooru struggled against her guards, the ones that had once been her subjects and friends, they beat her brutally, then flung her into her cell, breaking her leg.

It hurt to even breathe, and the darkened jailhouse still sweltered, all of the day's desert heat trapped in the bricks. Nabooru was given a bucket of water once every five hours, and she was trying her best to ration the water through the day and night.

She couldn't call Zelda, or Impa, or Saria. She stretched her magick as far as she could, but it just seemed to dissipate in the sky, exploding and sprinkling down like Navi's dust.

There was some sort of shield around the Valley that Nabooru just couldn't break through.

A flicker of movement caught her eye, and Nabooru's head snapped up towards her cell door.

"Hi, Mom," Saanabora snarled.

"Get out my sight, you traitor!"

"_TRAITOR?!! _I'm _the TRAITOR?!_ _I_ wasn't the one who _sacrificed_ my own _brother_ to the _Sages!"_

"YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME!!! You can't be my daughter!! My daughter would never give her soul up to become a-a parasite!! A _leech!!"_

The younger Gerudo roared, her eyes yellowing and her fangs gnashing in the dim light. "Then I _know_ that you're not my mother! My mom wouldn't have sent me to some backward little town where Gerudo hanging is a game!"

Nabooru froze. "What …?"

"Forget it, Ma. Don't tell me you didn't know the Rajas were fighting the Mako villagers?" Saanabora snarled. "Didn't the lovely Princess of Destiny tell you about the murder of Queen Lucora?"

Nabooru couldn't answer.

"Of course she didn't," Saana said visciously. "And I know she didn't tell you that, before that, the queen's own daughter had been killed on Gerudo territory by Hylians? Oh, what else? Oh yeah! When I was eighteen, four of my friends were arrested, tried for thievery--without witnesses and without lawyers!--found guilty _and hung!" _Saana snarled again. "What happened to those letters I sent you when I was little? The ones that told you about the men who whipped me because I was playing with their kids? What did you do? Did you rip them up? Hide them from Uncle so he wouldn't find out where I was? Y'know, Mom, if you had let Uncle Ganondorf just take over Hyrule like he planned to, neither of us would have thirst in the deserts. Your friends would still be alive … and my baby wouldn't have died like a fleeing criminal."

Nabooru looked up at Saana, her eyes wide with horror. "You had …?"

Saana roared and slammed her fist against the brick wall beside her, sending tiny cracks racing through it. "Yes, Mother; I married a man that I was in love with and we had a daughter--you _obviously_ never read my letters otherwise you'd _know!"_

"What … what were their names?"

The flare in Saana's bitter eyes seemed to die. Saana stared at Nabooru for a moment, puzzled, then dropped her stare, drawing in a hissing breath.

"My husband was Rashid," she murmured. "He was Lucora's adopted nephew. We married about three years after Lucora named me her successor."

Saana glanced at Nabooru. "My baby … I named her Terra Ceres … Rashid and I called her Terri for short. She was a bright little girl. She liked everyone she met …"

Saana's grip tightened on the dungeon bars. "The Hylians at the Mako Village always hated us. They drove us so far back into the desert that it was basically impossible to get food and water. We always fought at the borders, only to chase them off and give us time to hunt.

"I never did anything to provoke a war. I wouldn't risk it. I loved my family too much--Mother, I couldn't _breathe_ if I was away from them for a day …

"And then Link defeated the Gerudos," Saana said, her voice acidic with rage. "There was an anti-Gerudo riot all across Hyrule." She looked at Nabooru sharply. "I was going to visit you then, Mom; I was going to take Rashid and Terri with me so you could see them. I …"

She laughed bitterly. "I mentioned it once to Terri, and she started running about, packing her diapers and saying she was going to bring 'Gwandma Naboowu' bananas … she actually didn't call them that. She called them 'nanners'. She was so excited to see her grandma…"

Nabooru felt hot tears spill down her cheeks and Saana hid her face in her clawed hands. "Then the Hylians attacked. Oh, Goddesses … they destroyed everything. All of our houses, the well we were digging, our food barn …

"Rashid tried to take Terri and go with the older Gerudos and some children to the hills. But-but _the Hylians!! The Hylians caught up with them--" _Her voice cracked._ "They killed my baby! They killed them all!!"_

Fighting off her sobs, Saana sank to the ground, pounding her fist against the floor. "Damn them!! They took my _life_ from me!!

"My tribe and I attacked the village every day … my spies found out that the Hylian men were going to the harbor to buy weapons from a Yashaki merchant. We camped out in the pass and planned to kill them when they returned. They never did.

"We stayed in the pass … we thought they were late, or maybe expecting an attack. Then, the next morning, this band of warriors rode through the pass. Their leader slowed down, halted the band, and looked straight up at the cliffs, straight at me.

"She called us down. She knew my name, and told me hers--Lamia Carna. I remembered Lamia. She said she was returning to free her father, and I-I wanted to help! I wanted to free Ganondorf and punish the Hylians! All of them! Punish them all for what they did to the Gerudos--_especially_ Impa."

Nabooru swallowed hard.

Saana sniffed, then sat back on her heels. "Lamia was … she became so crazed with anger when I told her what happened to my family. She helped me take my revenge." Saana paused, and her lips parted into a fanged smile. "We killed every Hylian there and burnt the village to the ground. I actually would have died there--the Hylian mayor there stabbed me in the back." She shook her head. "Damned coward. He left me to die in a burning house, but Lamia caught him, killed him, then dragged me out.

"She offered to save me by turning me into an Undead. She said that I would be able to live to annihilate my enemies. I accepted." Slowly, Saana stood up.

"I had hoped that you had betrayed Ganondorf only to keep the Hero of Time from killing Gerudos," Saana growled. "I expected you to leap at the idea of freeing him so he could restore the Gerudos to their rightful place … _and you call me the traitor!!_ You aren't worthy of the Gerudos!! You--_you're a Hylian lover!!"_

With a final inhuman scream, Saana wheeled away from the dungeon door, stalking away, out into the night, to hunt.

Nabooru broke down on her musty straw pallet and wept. She realized that her daughter wasn't truly dead to her.

Saana was just hateful.


	3. Chapter 3

AUTHOR'S NOTES: All Legend of Zelda characters are © Nintendo. Lamia Carna, Tartara, Vanessa Valeska Ardea, Saanabora, Adonica, Didrika, Irk, Jona, Zared, Yashaki, Yashakia, Undead, Cibola, Bawaadi-Yin, Beoudi-Yin, Ayo, Uta, Phillipa, the Orcus Poltergeist, Bryna, Lilu, Dis, Ewain, Bonnie, Balder, Deiphoba, Mezentius, Lord Gryph, the Skorpyons, the Scyllas, the kappas, the Zote hounds, Ephiny, Saturnalia, the jenii, Mount Stygis, Makare-Yin, Tatchi, Severin, the Sheikdom, Awen, Troy, Desdeomna, Nike, Faustine, Meredith, © Chiyome, 2009.

Laura, Linkchepto, Shurai, Habn, Era & Azeril © Laura Belmont.

This is a REALLY OLD story—we're talking ten years at least, during the heyday of Nintendo 64 and Ocarina of Time. I still don't know exactly how I came up with the concept, but it was fun to write. I fixed up Vanessa's character to hopefully make her less Mary Sueish (how come nobody warned me? I didn't notice it until about a month after I wrote it & was rereading it. It was one of those moments where you stare at it for a while, blink a couple of times, then roar, "D'OH!".)

I took out a few characters and rewrote a few bits, but for the most part the story's the same as it was when I posted it. Hopefully it's not too convoluted. Please read & review!

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA:

LAMIA'S REVENGE

By Chiyome

CHAPTER 3

Link gritted his teeth in his sleep and rolled over restlessly.

It was happening again.

The monsters in Hyrule …

_Laura was resurrected …_

Attacks on the Temples …

_Why did he feel so strange?_

Beoudi-Yin fled into the mountains.

_What was happening to him?_

"Bravest blood …"

_Daughter of Darkness …_

Vanessa staggering to stand, her blood puddling around her feet. Dying, growing weaker, so afraid--

Link screamed again as the huge demoness flung Vanessa off of the castle. He cried for her as she shrieked his name, her hand outstretched for his, her tears mixing with her blood--

"NO!!" Link screamed again, already leaping to his feet before his eyes even opened. "No!"

His arm hit something, and someone grunted, as if in pain. Strong hands suddenly gripped his shoulders, frightening him. He yelped and tried to fight off his attacker--

"Link! Link it's me! Link, wake up! Wake up, dammit! You're having a nightmare!!"

Hearing that familiar voice, Link froze, his eyes wide. He hesitated, then reached out through the dark, touching Vanessa's cheek as Navi nervously flittered over the girl's face.

Vanessa looked white. "Are you all right?"

"Uh, I-I don't--I guess so …" He swallowed hard, tasting bile. He turned away from Vanessa quick, feeling the desperate need for air.

Navi landed gently on his knee. "That was a helluva dream, Link," she said, her eyes wide. "It was worse than last night's."

"It … it was," Link stammered, sweating, yet strangely cold. He wiped his forehead and looked at the two. "Are you guys all right?"

Navi nodded, but Vanessa grimaced. "I um, had bad dreams too," she said, slowly sinking down next to him. "I woke up a few minutes before I heard you yell. God." She paused, running a hand through her sweaty hair. "I--I thought Lamia found you or something."

The words hung heavily in the silence that followed. Link watched Vanessa, noticed her nervous, quick movements. His heart took a sudden plunge as she unconsciously rubbed her throat. He had seen the dragon slash at Vanessa with those huge claws, ripping through the flesh of her throat.

Drawing in a shaky breath, Vanessa stood. "It's really late."

Link nodded. "We should get back to bed."

The girl shuddered. "Like I could sleep after that."

Link's face broke into a smile, and Vanessa laughed softly. She shrugged, then waved. "'Night Link."

"'Night Vanessa." Link waited, listened hard until he heard Vanessa's bedroom door close. He spun around, nearly flinging Navi off of his knee.

"What did she dream?" he demanded.

Navi stared at him uncertainly. "Uh …"

"Navi, tell me!!"

Navi opened her mouth, stopped, then looked away.

"She … she saw the same thing," the fairy stammered. "That you saw … on the castle …"

Link's widened in horror. That means--

"She'll die," he whispered.

*

The night passed restlessly. Link slept dreamlessly for the most part. As the sun began to rise, he began to see strange red eyes slowly approaching him from inside some temple, and snarling ringing through his ears. He woke with a gasp of fright.

Navi yanked hard on his ears to get him out of bed. Grudgingly, Link agreed. Pushing away the terrifying images, he dug out his Zora tunic and cap, quickly dressed and washed up.

Before he left the washroom, he paused to study his face in the mirror. Navi's shiny image popped into view behind his shoulder, smirking.

"Y'know, Link, worrying about how you look before going into a battle is going to start affecting your performance," she said dryly.

Link snorted, though good-naturedly. "Nah, it's not that. I just don't want Vanessa to think I'm a slob."

He walked out just as Vanessa appeared out of the guest room, wearing those strange short, tan breeches and white shirt that was held up by two straps.

"'Morning everybody," she said, tying her multi-dyed hair into a ponytail. "Hope no spookables bugged you again."

"Nope. Slept okay," Link lied. He gestured for Vanessa to sit at the table. "Have something to eat. I'll find a sword for you."

Navi's already shiny face seemed to brighten. "The sword that Zelda gave you?"

"Uh-huh." Link opened a closet, and hopped backwards as boxes of junk tumbled out.

Vanessa smirked. "Got a problem with pack rats?"

Link smirked back. "Whaddya want from me? I'm nostalgic."

Vanessa laughed.

It took him a minute to find it, finally dragging it out and tossing it to Vanessa. He began shoving the boxes back into the closet, saying, "It's looks kind of fancy, but it's a real sword. Trust me."

Vanessa stood and drew the sword from the red leather scabbard. Her eyes widened in amazement. "This's beautiful!"

Navi grinned. "It's a Sheikah sword!" she said.

Vanessa wielded the sword, causing it to sing as it cut through the air. "Isn't Impa a Sheikah?"

"Uh-huh. The last one."

Vanessa held the sword up again. "Well, I'm sold," she said, sheathing it. "What do I name it now?"

"Oh! Oh! I know! I know!" Navi squealed. "Bryna!! Like the warrior!!"

Vanessa stared at Navi blankly.

Link shook his head as he passed the equally blank Navi. "She doesn't know the story, Navi."

"Oh! Lemme tell!"

As they sat and ate breakfast, Navi recounted the Legacy of Bryna; Bryna was a young female Sheikah roughly fifteen hundred years ago. When Din's evil brother Dis had created a schism in Hyrule, he captured all of the Sheikahs, the only people capable of defeating him, and imprisoned them in Mount Stygis in the desert. He missed only one little girl, whom Din had spirited away and named Bryna.

The Triple Goddesses trained Bryna to become their hero and create unity in Hyrule and to rescue her people. Din presented her with a great sword, but it broke as Bryna battled a fierce bull monster. Bryna then set out to forge a new sword. Every time her enemies grew stronger, she created a stronger sword, eventually creating eight.

Finally, the Sheikahs were freed, and Hyrule was restored to peace. Bryna made a goddess, and when it was time for her to leave the earth, she entered the heavens with her ninth sword, the one that slew Dis' mortal body.

Excited, Navi continued, "There's a legend that says when the old Sages started having nightmares about a new evil--duh, that was _Ganondorf_--they called for one of the king's guards to serve as the champion of Hyrule. Supposedly, he couldn't construct a sword strong enough to last a battle. But one night, he dreamt that Bryna came to him and showed him how to create an exact copy of her ninth sword--the Master Sword!

"And guess who we think the champion was?"

Vanessa shook her head, and Link grimaced. "Navi--" Link warned.

"Linkchepto!!" Navi exploded gleefully. "We think he's Link's dad!"

Vanessa glanced at him. "Really?"

Link looked away. "We think," he muttered. "I'm not sure."

Vanessa winced, then looked down at her half-eaten breakfast. "That's … that's interesting," she said. Link glanced up curiously and she smiled weakly. "Awen said that she and my mother both were visited by our war goddess Macha in their dreams. Macha told them to construct swords that would last as long as Ardea stood and another that would insure my escape to Alba."

She shrugged, her voice dropping until it was nearly a whisper. "Ardea stands--barely--but my sword is missing." She shook her head. "I wish I knew if--"

Vanessa caught herself abruptly.

Link locked eyes with hers, hoping she'd finish what she was going to say.

Vanessa swallowed hard, and looked away.

The trio sat at the table, silent.

*******

"We'll go to Lake Hylia as soon as I get the Master Sword and we find a horse for Vanessa," Link said.

Zelda nodded. "All right. Be careful. I couldn't reach Ruto very well this morning."

"What are you going to do?"

The princess shrugged, looking suddenly older than she should have been. "I don't know … dig out my armor … try to find some books on the monsters we've seen …"

Behind Zelda, Impa leaned against a back wall, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes narrowed. "There've been reports of whole Gerudo tribes leavin' their lands and goin' t' th' Valley," she muttered, "and there's been fightin' on the Hylian/Gerudo borders …"

Noting the Sheikah's troubled look, Vanessa nudged Link with her elbow, then pointed to Impa with her chin, lifting her eyebrows questioningly.

Following her gaze, Link leaned close to Vanessa's ear and whispered, "I'll explain later."

From his seat, Zared snorted rudely. "I don't understand why you don't just go in and destroy these thieves, Link," he said.

Link glared at the prince. "They're _people,_ Zared; the only thing I'll destroy is Lamia."

"_We'll _destroy," Vanessa corrected him, though her voice sounded grim.

Zelda sighed heavily. "Well, you guys better get going." She began to turn, then stopped, and smiled mischievously.

"Say hi to your fiancée for me," she said slyly before taking Zared by the hand and leading him and a saddened Impa out of the reception hall.

As soon as they had disappeared, Vanessa wheeled around to face Link, looking confused. _"Fiancée`??"_

Link felt his cheeks grow hot. "It's nobody," he said.

"'NOBODY'?" Navi howled, "'Nobody' my wart-covered backside! This is RUTO we're talking about!"

"Confusion setting in," Vanessa grunted.

Link gritted his teeth. "She's _not_ my fiancée`!"

"Link, it's freaking _Ruto!" _Navi snapped.

Vanessa was struggling not to laugh as Link spun around and snapped, "She's not my fiancée`, she's not my girlfriend, and she's not even a potential crush, for Nayru's sake. She just thinks she's in love with me--but she is _not_ my fiancée!"

Vanessa laughed. Embarrassed and furious, Link turned on his heel and stomped out of the castle.

He was halfway down the steps when he felt cool, soft fingers catch his hand. Stopping, Link allowed Vanessa to gently turn him around.

She placed her hands on his shoulders and steered him so that he was looking directly into her eyes. "Link, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you," she said softly, "I thought it was funny. I didn't know I'd hurt your feelings."

"You didn't." No, she didn't. It was Ruto that was hurting him, making him feel guilty and resentful and sorry for what happened.

Vanessa smiled kindly, and Link felt his defenses dropping.

"She'll figure out that you two aren't right for each other," Vanessa said. "I don't know when, but I do know that it'll happen. Witch instinct."

Link smiled at her, and she glanced away shyly, her cheeks turning pink.

The peaceful atmosphere was shattered by Navi's snort. "Yeah, well, it better happen soon; it's not like Link's equipped with gills."

***

The Temple of Time echoed loudly with Link's footfalls. He and Navi stopped several meters before the pedestal where Link had set the Master Sword nearly a year ago, when he defeated Laura. He swallowed hard. "I can't do it, Navi."

"Can't do what?"

"I can't … I can't have my life unsettled like this again. I don't think I can fight the monsters again.

Navi …"

Link broke off, and the fairy looked at her friend empathetically.

Suddenly, Link's face hardened.

"It's not my choice, is it?" he said, more to himself than Navi. "I have to."

Drawing in a final breath, Link approached the Master Sword, then spread his hands and bowed in respect to the sword's spirit. Hesitantly, he wrapped his hands around the hilt and then, squeezing his eyes shut, yanked it free with a bellow.

The Master Sword sang as it slid out of the pedestal, glinting with the light streaming through the stained-glass windows.

Link stood there for a moment, just staring at the blade. A wave of light passed through the blade, and he shuddered.

He thought he saw someone-a man who looked like him, but had brown hair-stare back.

Swallowing again, Link placed the Master Sword in the sheath Rauru had given him Seven Magick Years ago, then turned to Navi.

"Let's go."

******************************************************************************

The horse snorted angrily and tossed his head, fairly hopping across the corral as Vanessa fought to control him.

Link bit his lip, and Malon shook her head. "I don't think that's a good horse for her," she said nervously. "He's got a temper fit to kill."

As if on cue, the stallion slammed to a halt just before a jump, flinging Vanessa over his neck. When she didn't tumble off, the horse screamed and launched himself into a series of wild bucks.

Malon gasped in terror and Link yelped in shock. He thought Vanessa must've been scared out of her mind--

"YEEEEEAAAGGGH!" Vanessa yowled.

"Ride 'im, cowgirl!" Navi cried, more to encourage than to joke.

Suddenly, the horse lost his footing and stumbled, falling to his shoulder hard. Vanessa yelped as she was thrown out of the saddle and sent rolling across the grass.

"Vanessa!!" Link, Navi, and Malon all cried. They raced towards her as she staggered to her feet and as the stallion bounded away, his tail high in the air.

"Are you all right?" Link gasped.

Vanessa grunted as she brushed off the seat of her pants. "I'm okay." She glared at the stallion. "But I'm ready to turn _him_ into dog meat."

The horse flattened his ears angrily against his head.

Malon helped Navi pick pieces of grass out of Vanessa's hair. "I'm sorry about that."

"Not your fault," Vanessa replied.

"What'll we do?" Navi asked. "Vanessa needs a horse."

Link frowned. "Malon, what about Phillipa?"

"Phillipa?" Malon's eyes went wide, and she looked uncertainly between Link and Vanessa. "I don't know … she's worse than Ulster--"

The horse behind them whinnied furiously.

"Shut up!!" Vanessa roared, and the overgrown mule leapt about a foot into the air in fear.

Seething, Vanessa turned back to Malon. "Are all of your horses as sadistic as _that one?"_

Malon tried to smile. "No. But Phillipa doesn't like too many people. Me and Link are the only ones who can ride her."

"I'll call her," Link offered, digging out his ocarina.

The song wasn't even halfway through when both Epona and her sister Phillipa came cantering towards them. Phillipa took one look at Vanessa and slammed to a halt.

Link watched warily as Vanessa circled around Phillipa, giving the mare a wide enough girth so she wouldn't lash out with her hooves. "Vanessa, try petting Epona. If Epona trusts you then maybe Phillipa will too."

Phillipa watched curiously as Vanessa walked towards Epona and stroked the horse's nose. Epona whinnied softly and buried her face into Vanessa's shoulder.

A slow smile began to spread across Link's face as Phillipa nosed Vanessa in the ribs, obviously fascinated by the stranger whom Epona didn't beat to the ground.

Vanessa spoke quietly to Phillipa, slowly reaching out and touching the mare's nose. Phillipa, slowly beginning to trust Vanessa, walked up to her and allowed the girl to pat her long neck.

Finally, Vanessa swung up into the saddle. Phillipa whinnied and broke into a trot. Vanessa had a little trouble turning the horse--Phillipa didn't see her as a master yet--but soon the pony was following Vanessa's commands.

The pair raced by Link and Malon and Navi. Vanessa threw her head back and laughed. "Wheee! I'll take her!"

Grinning, Link pulled the gift certificate out of his pocket. "Done deal?"

"Yep," Malon agreed, smiling.

***

They could smell the decay before they even reached the end of the road. Epona and Phillipa snorted anxiously, stamping their feet and refusing to go further. Navi clapped a hand over her delicate nose and mouth. "Eww! What died?!"

Link glanced at Vanessa, who looked both disgusted and worried. They dismounted, Link dragging his saddlebags full of Bombs with him.

He looked about them cautiously. "I don't see any kappas--"

"Oh, my God!" Vanessa cried, her face stricken. "Link, look!"

He followed the direction she pointed at, and froze, sickened to his stomach. He forced himself to rip his stare away, but he couldn't help it, there was so much blood ….

Lake Hylia was choked with dead bodies of Zoras. Most floated face down in the water, but some had been washed--or dragged--up onto shore, and then devoured by … _something …_

Link felt his throat tightened. What if the kappas had found Ruto and King Zora--?!

Vanessa covered her eyes for a moment, then turned away, staring down at the ground. "You'd better get those bombs ready," she said hoarsely.

Link only nodded.

Vanessa turned back to the Lake, her eyes narrowing furiously. She drew out the Bryna sword and wielded it once, as if to assure herself, then walked down to the lake.

Link was supposed to be helping Navi light a fire, but his eyes were fixed on Vanessa. He watched silently as she picked her way around bloodied bones.

Vanessa studied the surface of the water. She hesitated, then placed the sword back in its sheath. Slowly wading into the water, she lashed an arm out and caught a dead Zora by its wrist. Dragging him ashore, she knelt down and examined the ragged tear in his stomach.

"A kappa killed him," she announced.

Navi snorted. "I think we figured _that_ out."

Vanessa frowned, but didn't reply. She gently turned the Zora's head to examine the marks on his throat. "Two fang marks …" She paused. "Three … five. There're five Undead bite marks. Two on his throat, and three on one arm."

Vanessa sat back on her heels and looked up and Link and Navi. "How many Zoras are there?"

"I don't know," Link admitted. "Over four thousand. Why?"

Vanessa shrugged. "Well, I don't understand why five different Undead would attack one Zora."

Navi gulped. "What if a ton of those freaks invaded?"

Vanessa shrugged again. "From the way it looks, the kappas pushed the Zoras onto shore … and the Undead attacked them from behind. The Zoras were caught between two armies."

She looked down at the water, then placed a hand into the discolored waves. "The water's really warm. Huh … that's really weird; kappas are cold-blooded. How the hell did they create so much heat?"

Disturbed by the question, Link stood. "How warm is it?"

"The water? I don't know … I'd guess sixty degrees."

"Celsius?"

Vanessa shook her head and stood up. "No, Fahrenheit. Why?"

"Damn! The Zoras can't survive in anything that's warmer than fifty degrees Celsius!"

Vanessa blinked. "Link …"

His eyes burned, and Link turned away bitterly. "Damned _monster …"_

"They could still be alive, Link," Vanessa said, trying to sound hopeful, but he only shook his head.

There was a huge crash of waves behind him, and Navi shrieked in terror. Startled, Link spun around, and cried out as Vanessa staggered and fought under the weight of a dozen fanged kappas!

Webbed, clawed hands reached out of the lake and caught Vanessa by the ankles, yanking her in. As she pitched into the water, she screamed. _"Link--!!"_

"_Vanessa!!"_

Not bothering to think of the sheer stupidity of it, Link charged right into the lake, diving in headfirst, oblivious to Navi's yalping.

Clawing through the water, Link could see Vanessa several feet down towards the bottom, her teeth gritted in pain as she forcibly ripped kappas off of her arms and legs.

Reddish bubbles erupted around her, and Link mentally gasped as he saw ribbons of blood streak away from her arm.

Vanessa kicked a kappa away, sending it tumbling end over end in the water. She looked at him pleadingly as she reached behind her and removed her sword from its sheath.

Link whipped out his Longshot and aimed, striking a huge kappa in the sail atop its head. The kappa shrieked, grabbing at its head with its paws and flailing its legs about helplessly.

Vanessa roared underwater with every sluggish slash of the sword. Link briefly admired that Vanessa was strong enough to wield a sword despite the pressure of the water against it.

It was difficult for Link to reload the Longshot and aim quickly and accurately again. As soon as he popped off one kappa, two more appeared.

Vanessa turned to him, her face strained. She coughed, then began to choke on the water.

His eyes widening in terror, Link swam to her as hard as he could. He whipped off his Zora cap and clapped it against her face. "Breathe!"

She looked frightened and doubtful for a moment, but when she began to choke again, she tore the cap out of his hands and held it against her mouth and nose, gasping hard.

Link barely had time to register his relief. He cried out in shock as several scaly bodies slammed into his, knocking him deeper into the water.

"Link, watch it!" Vanessa shouted, struggling to swim backwards, away from the kappas as she tied the cap around her face.

"Go to shore!" Link yelled back.

"_Watch out!!"_

Link didn't react in time. With a piercing scream, a kappa lunged for him, swinging a webbed hand and burying its claws deep into his side.

Link cried out in agony as blood poured out of his wound and clouded the water around him.

More kappas darted in and out of the cloud, nipping and clawing at him, frustrated that they couldn't get close enough to rip his liver out.

Disgusted at the thought, Link ignored the pain and launched himself off of the lake bottom, swimming to the surface.

Vanessa met him halfway, and he grabbed her hand, pulling her up. They broke the surface of Lake Hylia with gasps and cries.

"I'd thank you," Vanessa said as they began to tear through the waves to the shore. "But I just don't have the time right now!"

"HEADS UP!!!"

Startled, both Link and Vanessa stopped swimming and craned their necks skyward. Navi seemed to stagger as she flew out over the lake, struggling to carry a huge Bomb Flower.

"Terror from above!" she cackled, dropping the Bomb Flower right in the middle of a school of kappas. It blew up with a thunderous roar, and screeching kappas flew in every direction.

"Thanks, Navi!" Link shouted.

"You owe me!" Navi bellowed. "I have no feeling in my arms now!!"

Link and Vanessa clambered up onto the shore, not allowing themselves the luxury of rest and regaining breath. They both ran to the blanket where Navi and Link had set up the Bomb Flowers and fire. Together, they lit the bombs and lobbed them into the lake as more and more kappas began to march on land, hell-bent on ripping their stomachs out.

Navi flew about, dropping Bombchus as Link drew the Master Sword out, slicing kappas in half with one slash. Vanessa was cutting through the throngs as though she were trimming grass. Link paused only once to watch as she punched a leaping kappa out of the air, then kicked another so hard it slammed into one of the temple's obelisks and disintegrated on contact.

"How the hell can you fight like that?!" he roared, hacking away at the kappas.

"Easy!" Vanessa shouted. "I just pretend I'm beating up my ex-boyfriend!"

Navi screeched, shooting past Link. "They stomped the fire out! I can't light any more bombs!"

"Navi, we need help!" Link shouted.

The fairy squeaked and dodged another wart-covered kappa. "I'm on it!"

Brandishing a tiny Deku Stick, Navi bashed the kappas over their heads and poked them in their eyes, giving her a big enough opening to zip past them and plunge into Lake Hylia, heading towards the Water Temple.

Vanessa cocked an eyebrow. "Who does she think she is? Atom Ant?"

Not understanding, Link ducked, swinging his shield out, smashing it into a huge kappa and knocking it backwards. A smaller demon lunged and sunk its fangs into Link's calf. Link roared/yelped and jumped backwards, dragging the little beast along with him.

"Vanessa, give me a hand!"

"I'm coming, Link!"

The Cibolan woman sprang easily over the heads of bewildered kappas, landing behind Link. With an unceremonious yank, she ripped the kappa off of his leg and drove her booted heel down on its head.

"You don't go for subtlty," Link said dryly.

"Like I have the _time," _Vanessa retorted.

It seemed to take Navi hours to return. She blasted out of the lake, panting hard and looking harried.

"Here they come!!" she shouted.

Just as the fairy finished speaking, a Zora head broke the surface of the water. Several more followed it.

Link sighed in relief. The Zoras were alive!!

With a war cry, the Zoras charged forward, brandishing their shell and coral weaponry. The kappas screeched in terror, running around in circles, confused; stay on land an be crushed by the two warriors, or return to the water where the Zoras would be less than pleased to see them?

Finally, the kappas were decimated. The Zoras all cheered as Link staggered away, trying to staunch the flow of blood with his tunic.

"Link?"

"Uh-oh--!" Even more frightened than when he faced the kappas, Link spun around to the lake.

_Gaak! _It was RUTO!!!

The Zora princess treaded water as she search about the shores for him. Link briefly considered hiding behind a bush, but that'd only get him into more trouble than he needed.

Finally, all four of Ruto's eyes spied him on the bank, and she squealed with excitement. Lumbering onto land, she raced up to him. "Oh, Link! What took you so long? You're useless! But you saved me--uh, _us! _Dad will be so proud--don't look at me like that! I'm a princess and your fiancée!"

"Ruto," Link said, then gently--but firmly--pushed her away. "I don't deserve all of the thanks--"

"Oh of course you do! Don't be so modest."

"I'm _not_ being modest!" Exasperated, Link turned and gestured towards Vanessa who stood a few feet away, watching them.

Seeing the girl, all of Ruto's eyes flew open in fury. "Another woman?!! How could you do this to me, Link?!!"

"WHAT?!"

Vanessa turned her head aside to spit blood onto the ground. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she walked up to Ruto and bowed slightly at the waist. "Princess Ruto, I take it. I'm Vanessa Valeska of Ardea."

Ruto's eyes all blinked. "Oh, you? You're the girl that's fighting Lamia?"

Vanessa grimaced. "It's not something I'm exactly proud of."

Link grunted as his injured side spasmed. "Uh, bleeding to death here," he snapped, waving a hand in the air. "In dire need of medical attention!"

Seeing the slash for the first time, Ruto squawked. "Oh! You're hurt--and holy Jabu-Jabu, that is the _sickest--"_

"Some fiancée you are," Navi grunted.

Rolling her own two eyes, Vanessa knelt next to Link. She let out a low whistle as she studied the claw marks. "That's pretty bad, Link," she said. "I can patch it up, but I have to do it soon."

Ruto took Link's arm. "We'll meet you inside."

Link threw a desperate look in Navi and Vanessa's direction. _"Guys--!!"_

"We're working on it!" Vanessa called after him as he and Ruto disappeared beneath the waves.

***

Retrieving her medical satchel from Phillipa's saddlebag, Vanessa followed Navi down through the depths of Lake Hylia, through a tunnel that led back into Zora's Domain.

The kappas had overrun the Water Temple, forcing any Zoras there out. When the water became dangerously warm, Ruto summoned up her developing Sage powers and kept the Domain cold.

Vanessa climbed up a moss and kelp ladder to what was apparently Ruto's bedroom. As she and Navi reached the top, they saw Ruto trying to coax Link into taking his shirt off.

"It needs to be cleaned!" Ruto said.

"I'm fine!" Link insisted.

Navi giggled as she flew past the pair and lighted atop Ruto's armoire. "Besides," she teased, "Don't you want to be surprised on your wedding night?"

Link gave Navi such a searing glare that Vanessa was sure she heard the water around them turn to steam.

"SHUT UP!!!" he bellowed, then grunted in agony.

Vanessa bit back a laugh. "I can handle it, Princess."

Ruto looked at her suspiciously. "Yeah, well, you'd _better_ handle it."

Alarmed, Vanessa held her hands up and backed away.

Ruto looked back at Link. "It's too bad that I'm not into all this gory stuff," she snorted, "Otherwise, I'd stay and help."

"Don't you mean stay and watch over like a slobbering, rabid guard dog?" Navi asked innocently.

Ruto pointed a finger at the fairy. "When we're married, _she_ is _not_ staying in our room!" she shouted, then stomped off.

Vanessa shook her head. "God, I'm surprised she lets you talk to Zelda!"

Link, looking embarrassed and sullen, only shrugged.

Vanessa sloshed through Ruto's water-filled room to the princess' vanity table. She loosened the strings on the pouch and dumped her tools out.

"Uh … if you don't mind Link," she said, slowly and softly. "Could you take off your shirt? I need to clean that wound."

When he didn't reply, Vanessa glanced at him.

Link was already tossing aside his shredded shirt. "It's all right," he said. "I just don't want Ruto thinking that we're having an affair or something."

"Too late," Navi snorted.

Vanessa smiled thinly. She poured a small vial of clear medicine into a shallow dish, then soaked a washcloth in it. Turning back to Link, she kept herself from staring, or maybe even acting like those girls back in the U.S. who crack up laughing when they see a--well, never mind. Link was cute enough, but Vanessa didn't want to fall in love with him.

She already had her heart broken once.

"This'll sting," she warned, "but if it hurts like hell, let me know. Really, don't hide it." She narrowed her eyes. "That means they nicked the liver, and I'll have to operate."

At first, Link looked startled, then impressed.

"You can operate on people?" he asked.

"Uh-huh," Vanessa answered, kneeling down in the tide pool. "I'm going to be a doctor in Cibola, remember?"

"Wow," he murmured.

"Cool," Navi agreed.

Vanessa cleaned the wound as gingerly as she could, Link only flinching once or twice. He didn't make a sound though as she smoothed an ointment on the rip, the sewed it closed. Taping gauze to his side, Vanessa wrapped a roll of bandage around his middle, then patted his shoulder. "There you go."

Link smiled, then gently touched his side. "It doesn't really hurt."

"It'll take a day for the skin to heal over," Vanessa said, standing and gathering her supplies. "That Cibolan stuff's potent. You can be back to your butt-kicking self in two days, maybe. Less, if you don't pop a stitch."

Link stood up easily. He hesitated, his eyes meeting Vanessa's and falling away. "Thanks."

"It was nothing," Vanessa replied, but she felt a stab of emotion at Link's sudden shyness.

For an awkward moment, the two stood there uncomfortably, shifting weight from one foot to another.

Suddenly, Ruto jabbed her head into the room, and Navi screeched, leaping into the air in fright and banging her head on the ceiling as she did so.

"Don't you know how to knock?!" Navi howled.

Two of Ruto's eyes narrowed--at Vanessa. "Everything all set?"

"Yes!" both Vanessa and Link yelped.

"Good … Link, Dad wants to speak to you."

Link groaned. "Perfect. Probably something about a freaking wedding date …"

He gathered up his shirt and tunic and walked out.

Ruto lingered there in the doorway, watching Vanessa like some sort of ravenous shark.

Finally unnerved and irritated, Vanessa growled, "Y'know, if you took a picture, it wouldn't _rot_ right before your eyes--"

"We need to talk," Ruto said softly, her hard features fading.

Surprised, Vanessa looked up at Navi, who shrugged, equally bewildered. Vanessa turned back to Ruto. "Okay, but Navi comes with."

Ruto started to protest, but she stopped. Shrugging helplessly, she waved for them to follow her. "Let's go down to the pool."

Tying the satchel to her belt, Vanessa looked up at Navi. "If I hang around here any longer," she muttered, "I'm going to start growing mildew."

Navi giggled. "Yeah--and mushrooms."

"Yeah, you'd like that."

Ruto took a flying dive off of the cliff beside her room, and, shrugging, Vanessa leapt in after her. She followed the princess through what must have been the Royal Kitchens, and out into a shallow pool of water where a huge whale sat, breathing noisily.

Ruto lumbered up the steps of a platform where the whale's mouth rested. "This is Jabu-Jabu, our guardian spirit," she said. "I'm in charge of his meals."

Hearing that, Vanessa leapt about a foot or three backwards. "Hey, whatever you're thinking is going on between me and Link, it's not so bad that you've gotta feed me to a huge fish!"

Ruto stared at her blankly for a moment, then threw back her head and laughed. "Oh, no! That's not why I took you here."

Vanessa looked at the giant fish and the fish princess suspiciously. "So, why …?"

Ruto bit her lip, the gestured for Vanessa to come forward and sit down on the platform with her. "I'm not totally happy that you're here," she admitted.

"Huh?"

"I--well … it's--it's about Link."

"Figures," Navi said, and Vanessa impatiently swatted her away.

Ruto drew her knees up to her chest and rocked slowly back and forth. "You know I'm a Sage …"

"Yeah. I met Saria, and she told me everything."

"Well … you know how Sages aren't supposed to form relationships until their training is complete?"

"Yeah."

"Well … well … I dunno … I--I had thought that, you know … 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'?"

Vanessa cocked an eyebrow, but nodded.

"I was hoping that's what would make Link love me," Ruto said finally. "I was hoping that he'd miss me so bad that he start to love the times that we spent together."

"But?"

"But it didn't work that way. He doesn't love me. I love him, though."

"I could tell."

"How come he doesn't love me?" Ruto cried, apparently to no one in particular.

Navi and Vanessa shared a curious glance, then looked back at Ruto. Vanessa scooted a bit closer to the princess. "I could give you a lot of reasons," she said gently, "and they're probably all wrong."

One of Ruto's eyes turned to look at Vanessa. "It's because I'm not a Hylian?"

"Uh, I don't think that's it, really."

Ruto moaned. "Dad always said Hylian/Zora relationships never work out--"

"Well--"

"But I was so sure! My mother told me that the person I gave the Zora's Sapphire to would be the one I married!"

"But you gave it to him because he asked for it, didn't you?"

Surprised, Ruto turned to regard Vanessa. "I gave it to him willingly …"

"But he _asked_ for it," Vanessa pointed out, hoping she was making sense. "It wasn't like you two had been seeing each other for so long that he said he wanted to marry you. He asked for the Sapphire."

Ruto's four eyes blinked. "Well … yeah …" She swallowed hard. "He never loved me."

The princess' shoulders slumped and she turned quickly away from Vanessa and Navi before they could see her tears. Empathetic, Vanessa placed a hand on Ruto's shoulder and gripped it comfortingly. "I'm sorry, Ruto--"

"Well, as soon as this is all over, he'd better give the Sapphire back!" Ruto declared, spinning back around. "That little weasel! I want the Sapphire back so I can give it to a guy I know loves me!"

"You go, girl," Vanessa agreed.

"But, I should have known that Link'd never be faithful to me."

Vanessa's eyes popped open wider than ever. "What?!"

"What, with a face like that?" Ruto asked incredulously. "He can get any girl he wants. Right Navi?"

"DON'T DRAG ME INTO THIS!!!"

Ruto's four eyes rolled. "C'mon … Saria, Zelda, Malon, Nabooru, Beoudi-Yin, Marin, _me_ … and those are only the ones that I know he hasn't committed himself to."

"Gotta go!" Navi squeaked, and she turned to zip away.

Vanessa's hand flew out and caught Navi in mid-flight. "No! You stay right here! I want to know everything!"

Navi gulped. "It's uh, it's private--"

"Private, hell! If he puts the mojo on me--"

Ruto shook her head. "You might luck out."

Hearing that, both Vanessa and Navi froze.

Ruto blinked. "What?"

"What do you mean?" Vanessa demanded.

"Oh, I thought the Sages told you …"

"What?"

"It's weird …"

"WHAT?!!"

Ruto shrugged. "He already has a crush on you."

Vanessa's mouth fell open. "How can _that_ be?! I've only known him for two days!"

"So? Don't make me list everything … your eyes, your smile … he thinks you're funny and nice …"

"HOLD IT!!!" Still clutching Navi, Vanessa waved her hands around wildly. "No way! Uh-uh! Nay! Too much crap's happened to me already--"

"Vanessa, _stop!" _Navi shrieked. "I'm gonna _puke!"_

As the fairy staggered out of Vanessa's hand, Ruto giggled. "But you like him too."

Vanessa's eyes narrowed. "Nothing'll happen between us."

"Oh, come on …"

"No, seriously! I just broke up with my boyfriend two years ago and I'm _still _hurting from that one …"

"Vanessa, you're nuts if you don't grab him while he's still interested!"

Despite her frustration and confusion, Vanessa laughed. "I don't know Ruto …" She glanced at Ruto and grinned. "But he's cuter than hell, I'll admit that much."

Ruto laughed. "What got your attention first?"

"His eyes! I love his--_hey!!"_

Now Navi was cracking up. Vanessa glared at her. "You tell him--"

"I'm good with secrets. Fairy's honor."

Ruto gave Vanessa a playful shove. "All of the Sages have seen you with him in their dreams. The looks on your faces--how could it _not_ be love?"

Vanessa didn't answer. Her heart only sank.

She couldn't have her heart broken again …

But she wasn't going to--

She shuddered; she didn't want Link to grieve for her.

******************************************************************************

Link stood in the courtroom of King Zora alone, his head bowed in shame. Over a thousand Zoras died trying to defend the Water Temple from the kappas and Undead, and they all failed, fighting and dying in vain. The Water Temple had been ripped apart, all of its treasures and icons stolen.

The Undead set fire to the Temple, heating up the entire lake. Any Zora stragglers that failed to make it back into the Domain had been captured by the Undead and fed to their monstrous pets.

There had been hundreds of thousands of Undead there that night. If Link had been quicker to respond to the crises--!!

King Zora lumbered away, heading towards his chambers, leaving Link to crumple under the weight of the words.

He sank to his knees and drew in a ragged breath, then choked on one, dry sob.

He failed them.

Hands touched his back, and he glanced up at Ruto, whose own eyes were glassy with salt-water tears.

"I'm not angry with you," she said honestly. "Even Zelda couldn't have prevented what happened."

If that was supposed to comfort him, it didn't work.

Link looked away again as Navi landed on his shoulder. The fairy hugged him around the neck as big tears dripped off her cheeks.

Link saw out of the corner of his eye as Vanessa knelt next to him. He sighed heavily, trying hard not to scream in rage and disappointment.

Vanessa wrapped an arm around his shoulders and slowly began to rock. Too tired too argue, too hurt to do anything else, Link allowed himself to be cradled.

Silently, he promised himself, swearing on his father's grave, that Lamia would pay for what she did to the Zoras.

He had no idea of the other horrors Lamia Carna would bestow upon Hyrule.


End file.
